French reds. Les vins rouges. Some of the most esoteric, expensive and imitated wines in the world. But also some of the most exuberant, relaxed and accessible. Wines from Burgundy and Bordeaux are considered the crème de la crème of the wine auction world, with bottle prices that can rival luxury cars. But those same regions have a myriad of delicious options at affordable prices too. This is a tasting theme that’s full of contradictions, and the good news is that there are enough options out there, so you can decide how deep to go.

Sauvignon Blanc is responsible for some of the most in-demand wines in the world: Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Sauvignon Blanc wines from New Zealand. In recent years, there have even been product shortages when harvests have been smaller and demand has continued to increase. And yet, there are some who adamantly dislike Sauvignon Blanc wines, even among adventurous wine people. I’m in the “love it!” camp, though I still have my preferences amongst the various styles produced. Hopefully this tasting will help you determine where you stand on Sauvignon Blanc.

First up, there are two things about rosé that I firmly believe to be true:

1. The color of a rosé doesn’t tell you anything about its quality.

2. Rosé is not just for spring and summer.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get into it. This tasting is focused on the still rosé wines from around the world. But don’t worry, there will be another tasting focused on sparkling rosés too.

If you’re going to start anywhere, start here. Yes, even those of you who “only drink red wine.” The white wines of France are some of the world’s most versatile and classic wines, and they’re well worth exploring and understanding. I’d even be willing to bet that the most die-hard red wine drinkers among you will find at least one white here to love.