Rose' All Day
04/18/2018
Rose’ all day!
– Rose’ wines are enjoying a gain in popularity and it’s no secret why. These wines are versatile because they fall in between the extremes of red and white — less intense than a big, tannic, mouth-busting red, but with more depth than a super-light white.
That happy-medium flavor profile (and the fact that different varietals span a broad spectrum from bright and zippy to darker and meatier) means you can almost always find one that plays nice with what you're eating — fish, veggies, chicken, grilled steak, potato chips, chocolate chip cookies, you name it. Just make sure you give it time to chill before drinking (like you would with a white wine).
It's the perfect barbecue wine, the perfect beach wine, and the perfect picnic wine, but it's also the perfect sitting-around-watching-TV wine.
But how are they made? We know that white grapes that become white wine, and red grapes that become red wine, but pink grapes don’t exist in nature; so, how do winemakers create a style of wine that always has such a range of gorgeous sunset pink colors?
The answer here is skin contact. When all grapes, no matter their color, are juiced, the juice that runs out of the fruit is clear. Wines receive their color not from the juice but from the juice’s contact with the skin of the grapes. As the skins and the juice soak together the color from the skin bleeds into the juice, giving the wine its yellow or red color. This process is known as maceration.
Winemakers create a rosé wine by juicing red grapes and then allowing the juice to soak with the skins for a very short period, usually only two to three days. As soon as the juice begins to take on the beautiful pink color the winemaker desires, the skins are removed and the juice is allowed to ferment, creating delicious rosé.
A common misconception is that rosé can also be made by mixing red wine with white wine, but in fact, this process is frowned upon by the wine community. Grab a bottle of Rose’ and go out and enjoy Spring!
Post By:
Allison VanArnam