There have been a lot of rosé reviews on the site this week. That may seem odd if you treat rosé simply as a summer sipper. At NYCR global headquarters, rosé is a year-round libation. We just drink different examples this time of year.

Now that the weather has cooled, I find myself using my oven more, and whether I’m roasting a chicken, roasting some winter squash or cooking a pork shoulder for 10 hours like I did last weekend, richer, fuller-bodied rosés really fit the bill. They have enough weight to stand up flavor-wise, but are still fresh, with that lively acidity that makes them so food-friendly.

One such bottle is Roanoke Vineyards’ NoFi Rosé ($26), a blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot that was aged in oak barrels for a short period of time to soften the edges and add a bit more texture in the finished wine. “NoFi” is short for “no filter,” which means, as you may have guessed, that the wine wasn’t filtered or fined before bottling.

Roanoke’s regular 2014 rosé is a blend of merlot and chardonnay and drinks a lot like a white wine. The 2014 NoFi is fuller-bodied and broader on the mid-palate, tasting a bit more like a classic Provencal rosé. Red fruits abound, but they are restrained and elegant, with subtle herbaceous notes in the background and just a bit of citrus. Dry and a bit creamy on the mid-palate, the finish is long and turns just a bit savory.

NoFi is the type of rosé that straddles the seasons and seasonal cooking well. Having simply prepared striped bass, where a fresh wine with a bit more heft is welcome? Here’s your wine. Simple roast chicken with lemon? You can’t go wrong here. It’s not a steak wine, of course, but Roanoke has plenty of those, too.

This is a wine club-only wine from Roanoke, but there is some left. Join yourself or convince someone who is to buy some for you. It’s a good choice for Thanksgiving, I’d say.

Producer: Roanoke Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 13%
Price: $26 (purchased via the wine club)

 (4 out of 5, Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)

This wine was my northforker.com “wine of the week” for the week of October 25 as well.