Give Rosé Another Chance, It Isn’t All Just Cheap Summer Wine
Rosé wines have often been disregarded in the past, a wine somewhere in between whites and reds not really worth considering. The rosés available were often semi-dry, sweet tasting fruity wines that were for newbies to the wine scene. Pink grape juice with some alcohol in it!
However nowadays in the ever growing segment of rosé wines there is a much greater variety and availability of dry rosés that can satisfy even the most discerned palette.
The main producers of rosé wines in the world are France, think Provence in southern France, Italy, often home to darker tone rosés and then the United States, famous for its White Zinfandels.
France has been producing dry rosé wines for decades in Provence, where even the most expensive rosé in the world is being made and drank on yachts in St-Tropez. It is all about the production process. Often the best rosé wines are made from the direct pressing of red grapes to collect a light pink colored grape juice (must) which is then fermented to dryness separate from the red skins. The secret of rosé wine color is just how much time the producer leaves the red grapes skins in contact with the must. The paler the rosé the less time spent with the skins, the darker the colour the longer the contact time. France has always been a leader in this process and it’s deeply rooted in the Mediterranean culture and food.
As you can imagine, coastal areas are where rosés are most popular, there is just something about summer that screams BBQ time and fresh crisp rosé by the sea, ocean, lake or pool!
So give rosé a chance this summer and follow these tips to make the right choice:
- Pay attention to color: paler rosés are more light and fruity and darker rosés tend to be more dense and structured
- Pick a price: go for something above the 12$ mark it will be worth it
- Look for hints on the bottle: “estate produced and bottled” helps identify wines produced and bottled in the same place
- Check for sugar content: if written go for something under 5g/L
- Foreign: Spanish or Italian for a more complex, rich rosé or French rosé for a fresher, crisper taste
- Made in the USA: Look for Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah rosés to go beyond White Zin
- Now all that’s left for you to do is find some good company and food and get started sharing and discovering the great world of rosé wines.
