What is Rosé Wine?

Whether it's Rosé All Day or Yes Way Rosé pink wine is the in wine. Some info about this wine phenomenon follows.

 

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History

Rosé wine has a long history dating back to Ancient Greece and Rome before it became a regional favorite in Provence, France. 

In the last half of the 20th century, it was a summer staple in southern France. Meanwhile, in the U.S. cheap, sweet pink wines were available. In the 1980s, white zinfandel gave rosé a boost in the U.S. as a premium wine. Over time, these wines became less sweet and transitioned into table wines.

Why Rosé is So Popular 

In the past decade, sales of still and sparkling rosé has skyrocketed. A lot of the success was sparked by social media. Rosé wine bottles are so Instagrammable.

It's relatively easy and inexpensive to produce, and it can be sold immediately, making it a less expensive alternative to most premium wines. Today, a significant amount of rosé is made from premium wine grapes, often labeled as Pinot Noir Rosé, Grenache Rosé, and so on. Additionally, modern versions tend to be much drier, resulting in crisp, clean wines that are perfect for a warm day or pairing with foods. 

How Rosé is Made

One could simply blend white and red wine juice to make a pink wine, but that's not typically how it's done. That is actually illegal to do in some places. If you thought this is how it's made, you aren't alone. It's a common misconception.

Most rosé comes from crushed red wine grapes. The juice sits on the grape skins, pulp, and seeds for several days or even weeks to extract color, tannins, and flavors through a process known as maceration. For rosé, the juice has only a few hours of maceration, allowing it to gain some color and flavor. After this the juice is made like a white wine where it's fermented and settled in tanks, clarified, and bottled.

Sometimes you'll hear the word Saingée (sehn-yay). This is the French term for the method of bleeding off some juice from a tank of red wine. I think people enjoy using this term because it sounds sophisticated. :)  Another way to make rosé is by crushing grapes, then allowing a few hours of maceration before the juice is sent to a tank and fermented.