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Rosé wine, often considered a middle ground between red and white wines, is made from red wine grapes, but with a shorter maceration period (the time the skins stay in contact with the juice).
The history of rosé wine dates back to ancient times. The first known instances of rosé-like wines were in Greece and Rome around 2,000 years ago. These early versions of rosé were produced by crushing red grapes and allowing the juice to sit briefly with the skins, resulting in a pale, light-bodied wine. Ancient Greek and Roman civilizations often drank rosé, and it was valued as a refreshing beverage.
In the Middle Ages, the production of rosé wine continued, though it was largely overshadowed by the production of red wines. The method for making rosé was quite rudimentary and often involved blending red and white grapes. The wines were often produced by monks, who cultivated vineyards in religious communities. Rosé was still very much seen as an early form of red wine.
During the Renaissance and into the modern era, rosé production began to refine. In the 18th and 19th centuries, regions like Provence in France started to become known for their rosé wines, which were lighter and more refined than their predecessors. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, rosé began to carve out its niche, particularly in southern France and Italy.
The post-WWII era saw a surge in rosé’s global popularity, particularly with the introduction of White Zinfandel in the United States in the 1970s. White Zinfandel was a sweeter, mass-produced rosé that gained immense popularity, leading to rosé being considered more of a "casual" or "summer" wine.
In recent decades, however, rosé has undergone a renaissance, with a greater focus on quality and diverse expressions of the wine. High-quality rosés are now produced worldwide, and regions once known solely for red or white wines have expanded into the rosé market.
1. Côtes de Provence-Style Rosé (Pale Rosé)
- Color: Light pink to pale salmon.
- Flavors: Crisp, fresh, and dry with notes of citrus (grapefruit, lemon), strawberry, and herbs.
- Winemaking: A blend of several grape varieties, most often including Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah, with a short maceration period for a light extraction of color and tannins.
- Region: Provence, France.
2. Grenache-Based Rosé
- Color: Light to medium pink.
- Flavors: Soft berry notes, peach, and melon with a light acidity and often a slightly herbal finish.
- Winemaking: Typically made from Grenache, Syrah, or Mourvèdre grapes. The maceration process is typically brief to avoid too much color extraction.
- Region: Popular in Provence, Spain (where it's called Rosado), and California.
3. Sweet Rosé/Blush (White Zinfandel)
- Color: Varies from pale to deep pink.
- Flavors: Sweet red fruit flavors like strawberry, cherry, and watermelon.
- Winemaking: Often made from Zinfandel grapes, with a much longer fermentation time and a sweeter finish due to residual sugar. This style of rosé became extremely popular in the U.S. in the 1970s and is often associated with the "easy drinking" summer wine.
- Region: California.
4. Full-Bodied Rosé
- Color: Deep pink to almost red.
- Flavors: Richer flavors such as raspberry, red currant, and even spice or pepper, with a fuller mouthfeel.
- Winemaking: This rosé style involves longer skin contact or fermentation in oak barrels for added texture and complexity.
- Region: Tavel, France, and some regions in Spain and Italy.
5. Sparkling Rosé
- Color: Varies from pale pink to deep rose red.
- Flavors: A combination of fresh red fruit, floral notes, and effervescence. Typically lighter and fresher than still rosé.
- Winemaking: Made using traditional methods (as in Champagne) or with the "Charmat" method, where the second fermentation occurs in a pressurized tank to trap bubbles.
- Region: Italy (Rosé Prosecco), Champagne, California.
There are 3 main methods for producing Rosé wine:
1. The maceration method is when red wine grapes are let to rest, or macerate, in the juice for a period of time and afterward the entire batch of juice is finished into a rosé wine. This produces darker colored wine with richer flavor.
2. The Saignée (“San-yay”) method is when, during the first few hours of making a red wine, some of the juice is bled off and put into a new vat to make rosé. The purpose of bleeding off the juice not only produces a lovely rosé but it also concentrates the red wines’ intensity.
3. Producing a wide range of light to heavier wines, the blending method is when a little bit of red wine is added to a vat of white wine to make rosé. It doesn’t take much red wine to dye a white wine pink, so usually these wines will have up to 5% or so, of a red wine.
An example of a fine wine made with this technique is Ruinart’s Rosé Champagne, which is primarily Chardonnay with a small amount of Pinot Noir blended in.
Do not let the recent weather fool you. Rosé season is upon us (though some might argue all seasons are Rosé season). Stop into Viscount and check out our robust Rosé selection from various regions, producers and styles. From sweet to dry, sparkling to flat, our wine staff has painstakingly tasted through a barrage of Rosés to bring you a style and price to fit any preference and budget.
Cheers!
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