Demystifying Rosé Wine: Which Rosé Should You Choose?

Rosé has exploded onto the North American scene in the past decade. In France, it now surpasses the sale of white wine. While we enter a three-month stretch of blissful pink wine drinking weather we have to keep in mind that not all rosés are created equally. There are many factors that contribute to a good quality rosé. In fact, the different pink hues, styles, variety of grapes, county and producer can all effect quality and it can be daunting to decide which rosé will suite your taste. Hopefully, we can help demystify rosé wine and lead you to the perfect style for your summer sipping enjoyment.

What is Rosé Wine?

Simply put, rosé is made when the juice of red wine is strained from its skins before it becomes too dark.

Where does Rosé Come From?

You can make rosé anywhere in the world, from almost any black grape and is not from a specific grape or region; but referred to as a genre of wine such as red or white. The biggest producers by volume are France, Spain, Italy, and the United States. However, many other wine regions across the world produce high-quality, delicious rosé.

Most rosés are blends of multiple grapes, but some of the best are made with single varietals from premium grapes. Common grape varieties used in dry styles are Grenache, Sangiovese, and Pinot Noir. However, unique varieties from smaller winemaking regions are becoming popular amongst serious wine enthusiasts.

How is Rosé Made?

Let`s walk through rosé making 101 to understand how production can affect quality:

Blending: white + red = rosé, right? Most often not. The practice of blending is prohibited for most quality wines (except, strangely, Champagne) and associated with high-volume, low quality rosés.

Direct Pressing: Same approach as white wine making, but black grapes are crushed then immediately pressed. Since the colour is in the skins, as opposed to the juice, and very little skin contact occurs, very little colour is extracted. Rosés produced this way often lack complexity, but they are refreshing and good for quaffing.

Saignée or Bleeding Method: Early in the production of red wine, some juice is removed or “bled-off” to be vinified separately as a rosé. The rest of the juice continues vinifying into a red with even deeper colour. The winemaker gets two wines out of one batch of grapes. The rosés are good with this technique, but purists claim it is not a “true” rosé.

Skin Maceration: Grapes are crushed and the juice is left in contact with the skins for a limited amount of time before pressing. Limited skin contact allows the juice to extract some colour and phenolic compounds from the skins. This method produces deeper colour, more aromatic and complex rosés.

What are the Different Styles of Rosé?

The primary flavors of dry rosé wines are red fruit, flowers, citrus, and melon, with green notes on the finish such as grass or celery. The varietal used to make the wine will greatly influence flavour. For example, a deeply-colored southern Italian grape such as Negramaro will offer up richer aromas such as ripe strawberry and raspberry with complex floral and mineral notes, where as a lighter zippier style from the Loire Valley in France can offer stone fruit and citrus notes along with vibrant acidity and minerality.

Sweeter rosés usually labeled as White Zinfandel, White Merlot or Pink Moscato are made by not fermenting all the sugar into alcohol and are often associated with high-volume, bulk wine. The sales of this style has declined over the years while premium dry rosés rise in popularity.

Sparkling rosé sales spike in warmer months as well as during the holidays and can include high-end Champagne or Franciacorta rosé or more affordable options such as Cava or sparklers from the new world.

What does Rosé Pair With?

Rosés are some of the most versatile wines, thanks to their bright acidity and lack of tannins. One big factor to consider is whether the wine is sweet or dry. Dry rosés often work best with lighter dishes, such as fish, grilled chicken and vegetables, light cheese and charcuterie, and summer salads. Some rosés that have gone through maceration can stand up to richer foods such as BBQ chicken or pork. Sweeter rosés work with a wider range of foods and can pair nicely with foods that have spice such as Thai, Indian or spicy BBQ flavours. Rosés don’t typically pair well with sweet desserts. Sweet foods can accentuate the alcohol in the wine and make it taste bitter or flat.

Lighter reds can be refreshing during the summer as well. Read our previous blog: “The Best Red Wines for the Summer” for reds that pair great cottage dishes.

What Rosé Does The Small Winemakers Collection Offer?

Three unique rosés are offered this season:

Schola Sarmenti – Masserei Rosè Negramaro 2016 Schola-Sarmenti-Masserei-Rose-Negramaro

2016 $20.80 / bottle, cases of 12
Puglia, Italy
Made with 100% Negroamaro, made by the skin maceration technique.Masserei translates as “smells nice” in the local dialect. An engaging nose of fresh ripe red fruits (strawberry/raspberry) opening to a bouquet of floral aromas further complexed by background mineral notes. Medium -bodied with a core of fresh, crisp acidity. Dry finish. Serious pink wine!

Baudry Dutour – Cuvee Marie Justine Rosé 2016

$18.95 / bottle, cases of 12
Loire, France
Made with 100% Cabernet Franc, made by direct pressing.Salmon-hued colour, intense nose of exotic fruits with aromas of peach and citrus. In the mouth the wine is dry but exhibits very good fruit concentration. Crisp and refreshing yet complex, this rosé serves to elevate the experience of white wine drinkers and to convince red wine drinkers that they should expand their horizons!

Azzoni – Rosato 2015
$16.00 / bottle, cases of 12
Marches, Italy
Made mostly from Sangiovese blended with Ciliegiolo, Lacyrma and a dash of Montepulciano.This Tuscan blend of Sangiovese with Ciliegiolo, Lacyrma and a dash of Montepulciano is a brilliant fuscia colour. The nose is very expressive with macerated bing cherries, crushed strawberries, dried rosemary and a hint of roses. The palate is quite fruity and full with a sense of sweet fruit from the nose.

The Small Winemakers Collection (SWC) is a Toronto-based wine agent supplying wine to restaurants and private consumers across Ontario. Their mission is to offer high quality wine from small winemakers and family-owned wineries that make remarkable wine with a captivating story from around the world. SWC has been in operation for 25 years and the original founders still bring their passion and expertise for wine to the agency every day. They have traveled the world in search of great wine from small lot wineries. Since their inception, product quality has been at the forefront of our collection. Discover the several varieties of the world’s most exclusive wines available through our online wine delivery service.

The Small Winemakers Collection

Importers of Fine Wines

Red Wines

White Wines

Other Wines