‘Mamaw’s Punch,’ rosé perfect for family gathering

When it comes to Thanksgiving, my wine opinions are always something of a hot take: I truly believe a boozy punch is the most crowd-pleasing and cost-effective way to go.

There are almost endless recipes online, and you can spend the next week searching around for the ones that best suit your taste, but as a special treat, here’s my favorite punch. It’s my Mamaw’s recipe. I have no idea where she got it, but after decades of drinking it at church potlucks and family reunions, I finally perfected it with the addition of a little rum.

“MAMAW’S PUNCH”

2 boxes cherry Jell-O 3 cups sugar 2 quarts hot water

1 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons

lemon juice

1 tall can of pineapple juice 2 quarts cold water

2 quarts ginger ale (Canada Dry preferred, but you do you)

1 or 2 (750 mL) bottles Malibu

Coconut Rum Dissolve Jell-O and sugar in hot water. Add lemon juice, pineapple juice and cold water. Just before serving, add the ginger ale and add rum to taste.

Her recipe book always said that it served 50, but I’ve seen a group of about 10 cousins go through this ultra-sweet, extra tropical punch in half an hour (nap time quickly followed). Recipe by Billie Langford, New Edinburg, Ark.

If you’re dead set on serving wine — and I love that mindset for you — then, again, I have a singular recommendation: rosé. I’ve been writing in this column that rosé is meant for so much more than just the summer, and I hope that this is the year you finally decide to listen.

The Thanksgiving table is piled high with such a dense array of heavy, almost sweet foods that having a bright, zippy wine full of acid is imperative. The rosé you choose won’t matter too much, but, of course, I have opinions. Here are a few I’d reach for:

Schloss Gobelsburg Cistercien Rosé, $18

Don’t let the name scare you away. This Austrian rosé is like drinking cool, rose-scented Alpine air. Made from pinot noir and a handful of native Austrian grapes, including Zweigelt and St. Laurent, this is everything you can ask for from a summer staple: chuggable, gluggable and delicious.

Domaine de Fontsainte Gris de Gris, $21

I’m almost afraid to think about how many bottles I’ve drunk of this over the past five years. Delicate raspberries, freshly-picked strawberries, tropical citrus fruits — they’re all here and then some. In my retail days, this was the bottle I would use to convert customers to rosé. If you’ve never had a classic French rosé, start here.

Teutonic Wine Company Raspberry Mushroom Rosé, $23

Teutonic Wine Co. has been making some of my favorite wines to come out of Oregon in recent years, and this rosé — riesling juice pressed through red pinot meunier grape skins — is, so far, my favorite domestic rosé of the year. I love to see winemakers turning the entire rosé concept on its head, especially when the result is so good.

Domaine Charles Joguet Chinon Rosé, $28

Cabernet franc makes some of my favorite red wines, so it only makes sense that it would also produce some of my favorite rosés. Grown in France’s Loire River Valley, this is the ultimate thirst quencher. Look for notes of watermelon and cotton candy alongside cabernet franc’s signature subtle spiciness and a full, round body. If you’ve been drinking rosé for a while and are ready to see what the premium price point is all about, you can’t go wrong here.

As always, you can see what I’m drinking on Instagram at @sethebarlow and send your wine questions and quibbles to sethebarlowwine@gmail.com