What You Need to Know About Rosé Wine

Rosé wine is often classified as a sophisticated wine that has a great taste. Rosé is unlike any other wine on the market, as it is neither a red or white wine, and instead it falls into a category of its own. The color of the wine is what distinguishes it from any other. It can vary from a slightly yellow-orange tint, to a vibrant pink, or even a purple, while its flavors can range from savory, sweet, and fruity.

The History of Rosé Wine

The creation and trading of rosé wine all began around the year 600 BC, when Greek traders would bring wine and grape vines to Southern France (Marseille area) in search of a profit. The wine soon became highly regarded throughout the Mediterranean as some of the highest quality product available. Since those years, rosé is still regarded as some of the best available on the market. Despite the introduction of machinery and modern methods, not much else has changed when it comes to the production of rosé.

How it’s Made

There are two methods of producing rosé wine, and they involving bleeding and maceration. First red or white grapes (red is most commonly used) must be bled for their juices. Specialized machines take the grapes and squeeze the juice out of them. Allowing the skin of the grapes to only touch the juice momentarily during this process gives rosé its desired color. The process of bleeding creates some of the highest quality of rosé on the market.

Another approach many take when creating rosé is maceration. This is a well-known technique that requires that the grape skin be allowed to sit with the grape juice in a large tank until a desired color is reached. Typically, the longer the wine is left in this stage, the darker the wine will become and the more prevalent the flavor profile will be. From there, the wine is transferred into another tank so that it can fully ferment before being packaged. Today, most rosés require grapes that are a blend of either Grenache, Sangiovese, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault, or Pinot Noir.

Selecting a Rosé

The great thing about rosé is that if you do not like the taste of one particular wine, there are plenty of others on the market to try. As the color of rosé tends to change hues from light to dark, so will the taste of the wine. Lighter shades of rosé tend to taste of grapefruit and strawberry, while a medium shade will produce a raspberry or even an orange taste. Darker shades of rosé tend to taste of fruity blackberry. Aside from regular rosé, wineries also produce dry rosé wine. Dry rosé is not sweet like other rosés, yet it is some of the most popular. Some popular rosés include Caves d’ Esclans, Château de Berne Impatience, and Crios Rosé of Malbec.

If you are interested in learning more about wine, be sure to read our blog, or attend any of our educational wine tastings at Julio’s Liquors in Westborough, MA. Our staff are experts in all things wine, and would love to help you find your perfect bottle!