Are Rosé wines just watered down reds?

Rosés are made from red grape varieties. Remember that the juice inside the grape berries is clear — it's the skins that give the grape its color. The juice and skins macerate (mingle together) for a very short time — up to three or four hours is typical — just long enough to extract some of the skins' color and character. After separating the juice from the skins and seeds, it is fermented into wine. This is referred to as "direct press."

Rosé can also be produced as a byproduct of red wines. This is known as saignée (French for bleed). The grapes are crushed, and some of the liquid is removed or bled off during the maceration process by the winemaker. The lighter juice will be turned into rosé, while the darker juice will be turned into red.

Rosé is frequently thought to be made by combining white and red wine. Except for Champagne, this is illegal in the majority of countries. This is the only appellation that allows such blending, proving that the only thing certain about French wine rules is that there is always an exception!