Rosé is bae
There are SO many of you coming into the shops for rosé and we love it. When the heat gets too intense to handle, an icy cold bottle of pink wine is just the thing to cool down with. This week we’re answering some of our most asked questions and talking about some of our favorite rosés so pour yourself a glass and read along. Cheers!
1. HOW IS IT MADE?
First way: Grapes are pressed and soaked in their juices for a little while. How long is up to the winemaker.
Second way: Saignée. Wine from the barrel of fermenting red wine is “bled” off and used to make rosé, effectively making the red wine more concentrated. This method is used by plenty of producers, but it sure sounds like cheating doesn’t it?
2. WHAT GRAPES ARE USED?
Any and all red grapes can and have been used in the production of rosé. But the ones we see the most are the darker skinned grapes because, after a gentle press, the free-run juice will have a perfectly pink pigment. Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Malbec, and Pinot Noir are some of the most widely used.
3. WHAT IS VIN GRIS?
Vin Gris is rosé that hasn’t spent any time macerating. It is made from the darkest of red grapes, like Gamay. It is so labelled because it is meant to be several shades lighter than traditional rosé. However, there aren’t any regulations associated with the term, so today we see vins gris of many hues. It’s like the wild west out there, every rosé for herself.
Wines labelled gris de gris are those from lightly colored grapes like Grolleau Gris, Pinot Gris, or Grenache Gris. But wines made from Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio) can also be called ramato, a term that originated in the northeast of Italy where wines like this were first made. Having fun yet?
4. DARKER DOES NOT MEAN SWEETER.
If we have to see any more rosé discriminated against because of its color, we are going to throw a fit. If you’ve read this far, you might have figured out that color has something to do with maceration length and nothing to do with levels of residual sugar. That’s correct.
No doubt many of you have been scarred by cheap, hyperpigmented, supermarket “rosé” masquerading as real wine. Take a step back from the trauma and let us help. Wines like our favorite Chinon rosés or the À Table from Fabien Jouves are too often neglected because of their darker shades of pink. By ignoring them, you’re only punishing yourselves.
5. ROSÉ IS SERIOUS BUSINESS IN PROVENCE.
I wouldn’t be caught dead uttering the phrase “rosé season” in the South of France (or anywhere for that matter). There, rosé outshines white wine on its worst day. The delicate, dry, thirst-quenching pink wines of Provence that so many of us covet are taken just as seriously as any other wine.
Tavel is the only appellation devoted to rosé. On the right bank of the Rhône Valley, its style is the benchmark for rosé the world over. But nearby Lirac is also home to many sneaky gems too.
6. FRANCE ISN’T THE ONLY PLACE THAT TAKES ROSÉ SERIOUSLY. BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS.
Get with it. Provence may be queen, but there are too many brow-raising rosés from all over. Some of our favorites hail from Italy, Spain, and even New York!
7. IT’S SO FOOD FRIENDLY!
Ranging in style from dry to juicy, fruity to mineral-driven, high acid to sad and boring (Oops, sorry. I mean subtle and soft. Author’s prerogative). You can find rosé to pair with anything you’re plating up and we’re here to help you find them.
8. IT’S LIKE ORANGE WINE WITH RED GRAPES.
Exactly. Since our orange wines have seen a surge in popularity, a lot of you have asked what the difference between them and rosé is. Rosé is pink wine made from red grapes with a shorter maceration time. Orange wine is made from white grapes with longer maceration time. Boom.
9. THEY ARE ALL DRY!
Unless you are standing in front of the dessert wine, every wine you see on the shelves is dry. We find it funny to hear requests for the driest rosés from the same voices that ask for juicy, jammy red wines.
Fruit, acidity, and sweetness are three different components of flavor. A wine can be both fruit forward and bone dry. It can be high-acid and mineral-driven and contain zero fruit flavors. I find that low-acid/high-alcohol wines confuse palates into perceiving sweetness. So, maybe this is the combo to avoid. Still confused about dryness? Go see Chelsie, she’s dying to speak with you.
10. YOU’RE ALLOWED TO DRINK ROSÉ ALL YEAR LONG.
Rosé all day, every month, all year round. Of course, we understand that the lighter, easy-drinking wines of spring and summer wax and wane in popularity each year. But do you want to know what rosé pairs well with? Risotto. Bratwurst. Baked potatoes. Blanquette de poulet. (why do they all start with ‘b’?). Our point is, don’t forget about rosé when the leaves start to change color in the fall.
Check out our favorite rosés HERE!
