Vacation-Ready Italian Rosés

If it’s Ferragosto, then it’s time for Italian rosé

on the beachfront on the Amalfi Coast in Italy circa 1955 (Photo by John Garetti/Getty Images)

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If you’re Italian, Aug. 15 isn’t just any other day: it’s Ferragosto, a country-wide day of celebration marking the peak of summer and the beginning of summer holidays. Indeed, the name is derived from ferie (holidays) and agosto (August). Also known as the feast of the Assumption, it originated in ancient Rome when Emperor Augustus (18BC) declared Aug. 1 a day of rest.

Fast forward a few millennia: The holiday was moved to mid-month and now marks the exodus of many Italians from the major cities … heading to the beach or the mountains and certainly (we think!) with the intention of enjoying some cool rosé wines.

Whether you’re on porch, the patio or at the playa, here are a few deserving of a spot on your summer itinerary:

EAST

Garofoli “Kòmaros” Rosé 2024, Marche IGT. Like Calabria, the Marche was once considered a region of “charmingly rustic” wines. You can still find those, but increasingly, this is a region that’s modernizing with delicious wines at still affordable prices. This light pink sipper. Made from Montepulciano grapes, it shows cherry and strawberry notes, but also lots of tangy pink grapefruit. Have this with grilled crab cakes.

La Valentina Rosato 2024, Cerasuolo d’Abbruzzo DOC. Well, here’s a spoiler alert: Cerasuolo means “cherry” in Italian, and this cranberry-hued wine from Italy’s Adriatic coastal region, made from older vines, makes no pretense about that. Ripe cherry-forward flavor with a bit of tartness, streak of acid and mineral/stone and violet flowers. Good for the grill or a beet and goat cheese salad.

NORTHEAST

Attems Pinot Grigio Ramato 2024, Friuli DOC. This is one of those in-between wines—not quite a of a white, kind of an orange wine, but really behaves like a rose. This is made from an old regional tradition of extended skin contact, resulting in a copper-hued wine that has a bit more structure (rame means copper” in Italian). Though somewhat of a hybrid, it is made with gray-ish-rose-colored PG grapes, and the extended contact gives it a slightly tropical peachy/melon note along with some savory tones. Great pairing with Asian-spiced foods as well as a charcuterie board.

Pasqua 11 Minutes 2024, Rosé Trevenezie IGT. This is always a fun wine from a fun-loving but serious producer who isn’t afraid of whimsy This rose, in an attractive bottle with a pretty botanical-themed label is a blend of traditional regional grapes, Corvina and Trebbiano di Lugana and Syrah and Carmenère. The name refers to the length of time the juice is in contact with its skins. Showing a pretty, floral nose and lots of stone fruit on the palate driven by peach and nectarines, this wine has enough structure to hold up to summer BBQs. .

Scaia Rosato 2024, Veneto IGT. This ballerina-slipper colored wine from the northeast is an easy-going, apricot and raspberry-inflected wine made from Rondinella, a native regional grape of Valpolicella. Sip along with soft cheeses, light pasta dishes with shellfish or on its own.

SOUTH

Donnafugata “Rosa” 2024, Sicilia DOC. A collaboration with Dolce and Gabbana, this stylishly packaged wine (did you expect anything less?) offers a shimmery pale pink rose full of fragrant flowers, citrusy-herbs, and small wild red berries. It’s really Sicilian terroir in a bottle—a little wild and savory, but glistening like the sea. The bottle art is inspired by the iconic Sicilian carretto. A blend of two island natives, Nerello Mascalese and Nocera.

Librandi “Segno” Ciro DOC Rosato. You should pay attention to everything from this producer, who has an undisputed loyalty and commitment to Calabria. This modern-style, fresh rosé proves anyone wrong who thinks the region produces only rustic wines. Made from 100% Gaglioppo, a native grape known for its tannic structure, this is a wild ride of red berries, some savory bramble and elevated by good acidity. More structured, so bring this to the grill.

Masseria Li Veli Sybar Negroamaro 2024, Salento IGT. This new offering from Famiglia Falvo arrives in a slick frosted-glass bottle, giving it an air of sophistication on the table. Pale pink with tropical fruit tones—more on the tart citrusy side—and with some baby strawberry notes. Fresh and medium bodied, so drink on its own or paired with summer fare such as risotto with roasted corn.

Masseria Li Veli Torrerose 2024 Salento, IGT. Made from Puglia’s famed Primitivo grape (a cousin to Zinfandel), this fresh rosato delivers tangerine, strawberry, freshness and lightness at an attractive price point (~$15). Made from 20-year-old vines, this has a bit more structure than the usual flighty roses, making it a fine pairing partner, as well as a nimble porch sipper.

Planeta Rosato Menfi DOC, Sicilia 2024. Made by a pioneering family in Sicily, this wine made from organic grapes is light on its feet with strawberry and pomegranate tones. It’s fresh but not without substance—a brushy earthy note on the nose and the palate plays nice with the modern style of this slick wine. 50% Syrah and 50% Nero d’Avola.

Varvaglione Susumaniello Rose 2024, Salento, IGP. From the very heel of Italy’s boot comes this softy and fruity wine with a pretty “summer in a bottle” presentation. This is red berry and cherry all the way with lots of splashy acidity and floral notes. Perfect for sumer gatherings where you need to make a presentation.