History and Characteristics of Rosé Wine

With characteristics similar to white wine, but produced with red grapes, rosé wine is light and fresh, making it an ideal wine for the summer months. It is a wine with simpler characteristics than most, but it is no less charming!

History of the Rosé wine

It is not known for sure when the first rosé wine was labeled, but it is thought that the first red wines produced were more similar to rosé wines, than those that are considered red wines today. This is because many of the winemaking techniques used to make red wines darker, were not yet practiced in the oldest winemaking. Both red and white grapes were usually pressed right after harvest, with little maceration time, which created a juice with little pigmentation.

Characteristics of the Rosé wine

Rosé wine has a low acidity, a low alcohol content and a light body, especially if the grapes grew in colder places with maritime influence.
The color of this type of wine varies according to some factors, such as the grape variety, the winemaking process and the type of pressing done.
Rosé wine can also be divided into two sub-types: light rosé and full-bodied rosé.

Light rosé – Like white wine, it must be drunk fresh. The light rosé has a softer color, between cherry and salmon. It is a great choice because it can be served with summer dishes or can also be drunk alone.

Examples: Rosés from Provence and Rhône Valley.

Full-bodied rosé – It has more intense colors, has a high alcohol content and a higher weight than the light rosé.

Examples: Rosés from the New World.

Regarding the production of Rosé wine, there are 4 ways to do it: directly to the press, sangria, cutting and mixing red and white grapes.

Directly to the press– after the red grapes are harvested, destemmed and crushed, they are pressed. To avoid oxidation and herbaceous flavors, pressing should be smooth and quick. After that, the must has some color and begins to ferment (afterwards the same process as white wine is applied).

Sangria– it is made from the winemaking of a red wine, where there is skin contact for a period of 6 to 48 hours, depending on the color the winemaker wants. Later, the skins are separated from the liquid and fermentation begins, thus producing rosé wine. Usually wines made using this method are darker, fuller and have a higher alcohol content.

Cutting – it is the mixture of white wine and red wine already vinified (after fermentation). It is a riskier and less beneficial process for a rosé.

Mixing red and white grapes – the grapes are mixed before fermentation. This process is not widely used since there is a great difficulty in controlling the final product.

Durability of Rosé wine after opening

Most wines do not last more than three days after opening, as they lose their properties.

In the case of rosé, as it is an aromatic wine, if we are drinking a light rosé the ideal is just to keep it open for two days. If it is a full-bodied rosé, it can be kept up to 3 days in the refrigerator. The ideal is always to store for a very short time as the aromas are lost quickly.

The most used grape varieties in Rosé wine

The most used grape varieties in the production of rosé wine are:

• Cabernet
• Carignan
• Cinsault
• Grenache
• Malbec
• Merlot
• Mourvedre
• Pinot Noir
• Sangiovese
• Syrah
• Tempranillo

Ideal temperature for drinking Rosé wine

Rosé wine should be drunk very fresh, but this is very relative. Do you know exactly what is the ideal temperature to drink this type of wine?

It depends a lot on the rosé we are drinking, but in general, the recommended temperature is between 9° to 12°C. However, in order for the temperature in the glass to be adequate, it is desirable for the wine to be served 2-3°C below the optimum drinking temperature. Since if the room temperature is higher than that of the wine, it will heat up.

Pairing Rosé wine with food

Rosé wine is a very versatile wine. It combines very well with a wide variety of dishes, from salads and seafood to meats and pastas.

The big secret is to combine the simplest dishes with the lightest and most refreshing rosés, and to combine the dishes with more complex textures and flavors with more full-bodied rosés. The most fruity rosés are an excellent option with a variety of low-seasoned food, such as vegetables and salad dishes.

You can find rosé wines on our website: see here.