What is Rosé Wine?

Rosé has exploded in popularity in the United States in recent years, particularly during the summer months. It now outsells white wine in France, and rumor has it that Sting slugs bottles of it during his live performances. It's also the ideal wine for sipping in the park or at a backyard barbecue. To summarize, rosé has become extremely popular, but most of us have no idea how it is made or where some of the most consistent rosés come from.

Many people believe White Zinfandel is a blush wine rather than a rosé; however, White Zinfandel is a rosé wine made in the rosé style; it just happens to be an incredibly sweet rosé.

Pink grapes do not exist in nature, unlike white grapes that become white wine and red grapes that become red wine; therefore, how do winemakers create a style of wine that always has such a beautiful pink color?

Skin contact is the answer here. When all grapes are juiced, regardless of color, the juice that runs out of the fruit is clear. Wines get their color from the contact of the juice with the skin of the grapes, not from the juice itself. The color from the skins bleeds into the juice as the skins and juice soak together, giving the wine its yellow or red color. This is referred to as maceration.

Rosé wine is made by juicing red grapes and allowing the juice to soak with the skins for a short period of time, usually two to three days. When the juice begins to take on the desired beautiful pink color, the skins are removed and the juice is left to ferment, achieving delicious rosé.

A common misconception is that rosé can be made by combining red and white wine, but this method is frowned upon by the wine community.

Provence is known for producing the most consistent rosés, regardless of price point. The Provence wine region in France produces more rosé than any other type of wine, and they've gotten really good at it. Because of the region's size, quality rosés are available at all price points, so if you're looking for a rosé and happen to be in a store or restaurant you don't trust, a safe bet is to ask for a bottle from Provence.