A Beginner’s Guide to Rosé Wine: Everything You Need to Know Chris Lehoux, August 1, 2024 Rose wine glasses set on wine tasting. Different varieties, colors, and shades of pink wines on white… [+] background. Top view Rosé: it’s pink alcohol, served cold by the pool, right? On one hand, absolutely. On the other, this over-simplifies a surprisingly nuanced wine encompassing impressive historical and cultural traditions in some of Europe’s great appellations. Of course, nuanced doesn’t mean so complex it’s too intimidating to learn the basics. If you’re looking for a breakdown of the differences in rosé, from the effect picking and production techniques have on style, color, and taste, to a review of classic European regions, bookmark this page. Next time you reach for a bottle, you’ll know the difference between Tavel, Rosado, or Rosato. Production Methods Though it’s commonly believed that rosé is made by blending white with red, most bottles are made through skin contact (like a red wine) known as “saignee.” Blending red wine into white is only common in Champagne — not in quality still wine. Further, another misconception leftover from America’s white Zinfandel days is that rosé is off-dry or even sweet. In fact, most quality-driven rosés are a variation on bone dry. Skin Contact Have you ever heard a producer use the phrase “intentional rosé?” The concept entails growing and harvesting grapes for the express purpose of making rosé wine. This means picking early to preserve freshness and bright fruit flavors, followed by a limited maceration. In other words, winemaking follows the same technique as for red wine: crushing grapes and allowing the juice time on the skins. But for rosé, that time is far less, from a few hours to two days. The shorter the period, the lighter the color – think pale salmon versus dragon fruit pink. After maceration, the wine is drawn off and fermented to full dryness. Direct press is a variation on this, though is more akin to white winemaking. Rather than allow any contact between skins and juice, the grapes are pressed and the juice is drawn off the skins. But because the grapes are black, the juice will take on a hint of color and flavor. This method yields a delicate rosé, one that’s faint in color, while favoring citrus flavors over red fruits. Wine glasses and appetizers on the table in the vineyard orchard. Saignée French for “bleeding,” saignée is often a byproduct, (though not always – see Navarra) of red winemaking rather than utilized as an intentional rosé winemaking method. Grapes are not picked expressly for rosé but rather for the primary red wine. This technique is common in Paso Robles, for example, where winemakers seek to produce concentrated, bold, and flavorful reds. Bleeding some wine off early in the maceration process concentrates the remaining juice; and the lighter juice that’s bled off gets vinified separately for rosé. Though it’s a perfectly acceptable method, wines can be an afterthought. Rosé generally demands freshness, and grapes picked for concentrated reds are usually the opposite: ripe with higher alcohol. Of course, it’s a matter of taste – saignée is great for those who prefer a richer, fruitier style of rosé. Blending Except maybe late night at a party, fine wine producers don’t blend red and white wine together. At least, French appellations do not allow it, except for one: Champagne. For rosé Champagne, producers may add still Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier for hue and flavor. Outside of Europe, a few New World producers might blend white and red but it’s not the norm for quality wine production. View on ancient village of Aiguines, Provence, France FRANCE Provence, France If you’ve sipped a glass of rosé, you’ve probably tasted one from Provence. The OG of pink wine, denizens of the south of France view rosé as a way of life, not just a beverage. Stylistically, Provençal rosé is distinct, too. Typically, wines are made intentionally, picked for citrus and tart red fruit flavors, with limited skin contact for lighter hues and delicacy of flavor. It’s not a big, brash, fruity wine; rather, they are meant as crisp, versatile food wines to be enjoyed with vegetables, seafood and even meat. The classic grapes are Grenache, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre. Bandol has a large presence in the U.S. for its high quality, pricier versions made from Mourvèdre. Wines are savory, mineral-driven and structured, rather than simple and fruit-forward. Bandol is a rosé that can age. Tavel, Rhône Valley Though Provence is better-known in the U.S. market, Tavel is the only French appellation specializing in dry rosé. Talk about intentional winemaking. The primary grape used in Tavel is Grenache. Other grapes allowed include: Cinsault, Bourboulenc, Clairette (pink and white), Mourvèdre, Picpoul (black, white, grey), and Syrah. While white wine cannot be blended with red, white grapes and their press juice can be added pre-fermentation. Due to longer skin contact, the wines achieve greater color and depth of red fruit flavor. This lends more tannin, structure, and age-worthiness from top producers. Chinon, Touraine, Anjou, Loire Valley: Based on Cabernet Franc, the best rosés weave delicate vegetal notes from the Cab Franc with juicy red fruit flavors. The Camino de Santiago is a pilgrimage which can be walked by connecting various different trails … [+] and routes through Europe ending at the tomb of St. James in north west Spain. SPAIN Spaniards have been drinking rosé for ages; only in recent years have those bottles made their way stateside. Often, producers made simple, quaffable wines. But as exports have increased, so has quality. Instead of rosé, bottles will say rosado. Grenache and Tempranillo are the main varieties used for making various styles, though often in a deeper hue than their French counterparts. Navarra Navarra rosé helped make the region famous. Producers turn out both poolside sippers and more complex, food appropriate expressions. Grapes used include Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, though rosado from old-vine Grenache is considered the highest expression for the region. Saignée method is typical, but in the case of Navarra, wines are of good quality, not after thoughts. Rioja Unusual in the world of rosé, or rosado, is the application of aging classifications to this style of wine. Most producers of rosé tout new vintages for their youthfulness and freshness, using stainless steel vessels in that stylistic pursuit. That, or they need to move product for cash flow. But in the case of Rioja, rosado follows the classic aging rules in oak barrels: joven (no aging requirement), crianza (aged for 12 months including 6 months in barrel); and reserva (2 years including 6 months in barrel). Grenache and Tempranillo are the primary grapes. Txakoli Spain’s northern Basque country is home to unusual, indigenous varieties used to produce dry, effervescent Txakoli. Though rosé is a recent phenomenon, it’s becoming easier to find in the U.S. Made in a pale shade of pink, these wines are mineral and tart, and largely based on the red grape Hondarrabi Beltza. Beautiful Medieval Villages Of Italy. Pacentro, Abruzzo. ITALY Known as rosato in Italy, rosé is made up and down the boot, with styles and flavors dependent on the local climate and traditional varieties. You’ll find more delicate versions produced in the northeast around Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige. Logical, given the cooler climate. That includes Chiaretto from Lombardy and Veneto. “Chiaro” means light or pale, evoking the dry style of the wine based on the Corvina grape. Ramato, from Friuli, is based on extended maceration with pink grape Pinot Grigio. Central Italians, of course, produce rosato. One better known example: cherry-pink Cerasuolo of Abruzzo made from the Montepulciano grape. In the south, rosatos are fuller-bodied and fuller-flavored like the sun and the food. Puglia, Sicily and Calabria turn out lots of examples with native grapes like Negroamaro (Puglia) and Nero d’Avola (Sicily). One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space. In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site’s Terms of Service. We’ve summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil. Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain: User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in: So, how can you be a power user? Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site’s Terms of Service. About the Author: Chris Lehoux Meet Chris Lehoux, an experienced wine connoisseur and dedicated blogger with a deep passion for all things wine-related. With years of expertise in the industry, Chris shares insightful wine reviews, valuable wine tasting tips, expert pairing advice, and captivating tales of vineyard visits. Join Chris on a journey through the world of wine, where every sip is an adventure waiting to be savored! Wine