Have you ever made fun of a friend who only liked White Zin? I know I have. The good news is that nowadays you can drink a good Rosé and be considered very cool for doing it. Let’s give three cheers for being able to celebrate the popularity of Rosé. How did Rosé go from the bottom shelves of the wine aisle to the ritzy end-aisle displays in less than 10 years?
The Washington Post on the New Popularity of Rosé
The Washington Post says that “Rosé is populist. It is a wine of the people.” As Americans traveled increasingly to Provence, they happily discovered the sophisticated, not sickly-sweet Rosés that the locals had been enjoying for generations. With white zinfandel sales in America falling, American winemakers “took note of the wine that looked just like it but tasted worlds apart.”
Why Is Rosé Pink
To make most rosé wine, red grapes are lightly crushed and left to macerate with their red skins for as long as a few days. After this, the juice is strained out from the solid stuff (called “must”) and fermented in tanks.
In red wine making, maceration usually lasts throughout the fermentation. For Rosé, the maceration period is much shorter. The longer the grapes’ skins are left sitting in the wine, the darker the color of the finished Rosé.
Dry vs. Sweet Rosé
Many people assume that lighter colored Rosés are sweeter, while darker colored ones are drier. Truth be told, the color has no bearing on whether the wine is dry or sweet. A dry Rosé has less residual sugar than a sweet Rosé, regardless of the color of the wine. Also, certain grapes, including Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, are likely to produce drier Rosés, while other grapes, including Zinfandel, Moscato and Grenache, are likely to produce sweeter Rosés.
Ideally, you want a Rosé that is fresh and acidic, without too much sugar to bury the fruity flavors and aromas.
Old World vs. New World
Old World refers to Europe. New World refers to just about anywhere outside of Europe. A safe bet is to expect that on average Old World Rosés will be drier than New World Rosés. There are of course many exceptions to this.
Celebrating the Popularity of Rosé with a Taste
I hope you enjoy this video of me tasting WineShop At Home’s latest Rosé, our Nouveau Muse 2017 California.
Cheers to many opportunities this summer to celebrate the popularity of Rosé.
As an independent wine consultant with WineShop At Home, I absolutely enjoy bringing a taste of the Napa wine country home to you one sip at a time. Whether you simply love to drink wine, seek a special personalized wine gift, or are in search of a new wine jobs opportunity as a wine consultant, feel free to contact me for a truly unique wine tasting experience!
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