Rose Wine

Rosé is not a specific type of grape — it’s simply a genre of wine, like reds and whites. While it’s produced similarly to other red wines, the time it ferments with grape skins is cut shorter. This reduced skin contact is what gives rosé its signature pink color.

Rosé can be made from any red grape and cultivated in any wine region. Popular in the United States, it has been a mainstay in France for centuries, with the region of Provence pumping out more rosé than any other style of wine. It’s also quite popular in Spain (where it’s called rosado) and Italy (rosato).

This rosy wine is usually a blend, meaning it can be made from a variety of grapes. The most common types of red wine grapes used to make rosé are grenache, sangiovese, syrah, mourvèdre, carignan, cinsault, and pinot noir. In some cases, it can be a single varietal made with one type of grape. In California, rosés are known to be single varietal and made with 100% pinot noir grapes.

How Is Rosé Wine Made?

Rosé gets its pink color by skin contact. When grapes are crushed, the juice that comes out of the fruit is clear, and it’s the grape’s skin that gives the wine its hue.

When the juice and grape skins marry, the color of the grape skins bleeds into the juice, creating the wine’s color. In winemaking, this process is called maceration.

For rosé, winemakers only macerate for a few hours, up to a day. Once the juice has turned the desired color, the skins are removed and the juice is fermented.

Rosés come in different shades of pink, this is due to the varying maceration methods. Many people believe that all rosé is created by mixing red wine with white, but while this style of rosé exists, it’s uncommon.

What Does Rosé Taste Like?

Rosé’s flavor profile is fresh and fruity. Think a light red, like grenache, with some extra brightness and crispness.

Common flavours include:

• Red fruits – strawberries, cherries, and raspberries
• Flowers
• Citrus
• Melon
• Celery

Each type of rosé will taste slightly different based on the type of grapes used to produce it, ranging from savoury to dry to sweet.

Sweet or Dry Rosé?

Some of the most common types of sweet rosé wines include:

• White Zinfandel
• White merlot
• Pink Moscato

Dry rosés are often made from these grape varietals:

• Grenache
• Sangiovese
• Syrah
• Mourvèdre
• Carignan
• Cinsault
• Pinot Noir

Perfect Pairings: Food and Rosé 

Rosé is a winner when it comes to food pairings. Best known for its al fresco-friendly sipping style, it pairs well with almost everything, including spicy foods, sushi, salads, barbecued meats, roasts, and rich sauces.

Light, dry rosés made from grenache or cinsault grapes from Provence, Burgundy, and the Loire Valley go best with salads, pasta, rice dishes, grilled fish, and seafood.

Medium-dry rosés, like pinot noir, pair well with all of the above or with light, fruity desserts.

Medium-bodied rosés (Southern France and Spain) make bold flavors pop. Pair these with dishes that incorporate the flavors of anchovies, olives, garlic, and saffron – paella, grilled chicken, lamb with herbs, or charcuterie.

Fruity rosés from California, Australia, or Chile can be served with a variety of foods, including spicy curries, barbecue, seared salmon and tuna, or soft cheeses like brie.

Sparkling rosés are the ultimate party drink and are delicious with desserts and fruit tarts, while rosé Champagne drinks well with grilled lobster, rare lamb chops, or game.

Serving Rosé at the Right Temp

When it comes to wine temperature, there are some basic rules to follow. The right temperature can bring out the best qualities of a wine and enhance its taste.

For rosé, most sommeliers agree that serving it somewhere between 4-10°C is best. That means putting your rosé bottles in the fridge (or an ice bucket) and keeping them there for a few hours to get them ripe for the drinking.