By
Vic Poulous
What is it about Rosé that makes people think of cheap, pink, sweet wine that’s primarily designed just for women? Is it the color? Is it that most people have less than fond memories of Sutter Home & Boone’s Farm, Bartles & James, or Reunite?
Whether you’re male or female, if you’ve never tried a good, dry Rosé, you’re truly missing out – particularly in the summer when they offer a refreshing counter to the outside heat. Rosé wines are a perfect “transition” wine from the winter cabernets to the summer white wines, sparkling wines and champagne.
Over the last decade or so, dry Rosé wine became more and more popular among wine drinkers across the country, and it’s even gaining in popularity among men and the same wine connoisseurs who once snubbed it. As consumers have enjoyed Rosé more and more, winemakers are also taking notice and producing more types, or varieties of Rosé.
Now you can find a good, dry Rosé on just about every fine restaurant wine list you come across.
What is a Rosé wine?
Rosé denotes neither a grape varietal nor a grape region, and in some countries, such as Spain or Italy it’s called Rosado or Rosato. In France, it is called Rosé after the “flower of romance,” the rose – of course. Rosés are usually pink in color, but depending on the grape varietal used and the wine making techniques, a Rosé can range from a pale orange to a vivid light red hue.
The most popular type of Rosé however, is White Zinfandel, but that’s not what we’re focusing on here – we’re focusing on dry Rosé.
How is Rosé made?
There are three main ways to make Rosé wine – through skin contact, bleeding or blending.
In the skin contact method, red grapes are crushed and their skins are left to remain in contact with the juice for a period just long enough to turn the juice pink – typically just two or three days. Then it all goes through the pressing process, by which the skins are discarded and the juice separated to ferment.
Most importantly, the skins of the grapes contain tannin, which is a major influence in the final taste of dryness in a Rosé. (Not heavy tannins like a cabernet sauvignon, but noticeable.)
When a Rosé is made through “bleeding,” the winemaker removes most of the pink juice at an earlier stage and ferments it separately from the large batch of “must,” which is a substance containing grape juice, skins and other parts of the grape typically in stainless steel tanks.
The final method to make Rosé wine is by simply blending a red wine with a white wine. This method is seldom used and is generally frowned upon by most winemakers. The exception to this is Rosé Champagne, which can be very good, and is in fact my favorite type of Sparkling Wine or Champagne!
Rosé can be made from many different grape varietals, but the most common are Zinfandel, Syrah, Grenache, Pinot Noir, Mourvèdre or Cinsault. My favorites are those from Pinot Noir.
When do I drink a Rosé?
One of the big draws of a Rosé is that it can possess some of the hearty characteristics of a red wine and the lightness of a white wine. “Refreshing” is the word I hear most often.
Rosé is finding its spot “in the sun” as a summer wine.
Many people describe the flavor or finish as being very mineral-like. While “minerality” is a controversial word in wine, the finer Rosés from the Tavel or Bandol regions of France are often described based on their “minerality.” Regardless of the proper descriptor, its crispiness and lightness make it a great wine to have in hot weather.
Food pairings
When it comes to pairing food with Rosé, try to remember this – just as Rosé is neither a red or white wine, it’s also neither “fish nor fowl” but actually pairs well with both! My personal favorite pairing with Rosé is shellfish and salads, but here are some other options:
- Antipasto
- Goat cheeses
- Prosciutto with melon or fruit
- Lobster
- Clams
- Chicken cacciatore
A wonderful selection of Rosé wines can be found from the Tavel or Bandol regions of France. Excellent Rosé can be found in the U.S. from Goldeneye Vineyards, Dumol, or Matthiason, all California. Italy also produces beautiful Rosé wine as does Spain. And, the nice part of Rosé wine is the price. Generally less than a fine bottle of Chardonnay, you can find a wonderful summer Rosé for under $75 at most wine shops. Be careful to notice the vintage as I recommend Rosé be younger than 5 years. Serve chilled at 50 degrees, too!
Salud!
Vic Poulos
