Red rosé wines are extremely popular and are, in fact, commonly referred to as rosé. While these delicious rosé wines look like they’ve been stuck forever in the middle of the red and white wine markets, they’re light and prove a real crowd pleaser. Rosé wine is a particular favourite with those who are just starting to explore their wine preferences and are generally easier to pair with different types of food.

 

Colour variations

Like white and red wine varieties, rosé wine can also vary in colour depending on the type of grape used. All types of red wine grapes can be used to make rosé, and there are three main ways to make rosé wine.

 

First method

During the first method, the red-skinned grapes are pressed and left in contact with the must for a short period of time. The skins are then discarded when the grapes are pressed. They are discarded as soon as the grapes are pressed instead of being left in the must during fermentation. The longer the skins are left in contact with the must, the darker the colour of the rosé wine will become.

 

Second method

The second method involves a process called “purging the vats”. This is when you want to impart more colour and tannin to the red wine by removing some of the pink juice from the red wine vats during the initial stage of production. The juice that is extracted is fermented separately, producing rosé as a sort of by-product of red wine. This method of bleeding was used to make the famous White Zinfandel wine produced in California.

 

Third method

The third method is known as blending when red wine and white wine are mixed to give it that pink colour. This method is not encouraged in many wine growing regions as the results are not so favourable.

 

Dry vs sweet

All over the world, wine drinkers generally prefer a dry rosé to a sweet one. French and Spanish dry rosé wine varieties are considered to be among the best in the world. Over the years, rosés made in the United States have gained a reputation for being too sweet. This is changing and rosé winemakers in the US have begun to re-examine the potential these wines have in today’s market.

 

When choosing the perfect bottle of rosé wine, it’s important to consider its colour and place of production. This will indicate its flavour and quality. In many cases, it’s best to explore your options by trying different options at your favourite wineries.