Rose Wine Is Not Just For Summer!Look through your rose colored glasses, wine glasses that is. Rose wine was the very first in vino I ever tried after my beloved peach ciders. After all I was 19 (legal age in Canada)It was the first step of my wine journey.The rose wine I drank when I was in my early twenties is a far cry from the beautifully bold dry pink wines I occasionally enjoy now. I'm not going to tell you how many years later or you might guess my age ;-) A rose is the world's most versatile wine. It is the French word for pink, the French Provence region is world renowned for production of some of the world's finest bottles of pink wines. Rose wines are generally made by taking the color of the grape skin from red wine Grapes. Some roses are made by blending white and red wine together, but the first method that is the preferred method of most pink wine makers.
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After a short maceration period, the pink color juice is bled out of the fermentation tank and separated from the skins. When the skins rise to the top of the tank after a few hours in forms a cap. Which is when they then drain the pink juice out, this is widely known as the cap and drain method.
European wine makers generally use red wine grape varietals to produce rose wine. Occasionally white grapes are added to give the wine complexity. Rouge wines come in a variety of shades of pink. Some paler pinks can be incredibly intense in flavor, but not all pale pinks are.
This is no longer the case, there are many full bodied dry rose wines available. I tried one from Summerhill winery here in BC a few years ago and it gave me a whole new found respect for pink wine. Australia puts out some fantastic robust pink vino's as well. Cooler climates produce grapes with a lower sugar content, lower sugar means lower alcohol, which usually means a lighter bodied wine. Warmer climates such as California and the Okanagan here in BC, Canada produce high sugar grapes that are lower in acidity and have a more vivid fruit flavor and intend to be more full bodied.Pink wine is not just for summer, it is very flexible and goes with most food. Although it is fabulous to fill up glass with ice and pink the know when it is 39° out in the summer. Red wine can be a little too bold and full bodied for a delicate seafood dish, whereas a rose can be the perfect accompaniment.
It is best drank slightly chilled, but if it is super hot out; feel free to add tons of ice like they do in Provence, France. It is best enjoyed out of a thin lipped glass: 10 oz or larger, only one 3rd full. This allows you to experience the aroma of the wine giving plenty of room to swirl. As a rule rose wines are at their best when they're young when the flavors are fresh and vivid. Some fuller bodied ones have more staying power, but as a rule 2 to 3 years old is best. The south eastern corner of France, Provence, is well known for its rose wine. Every winery in the region produces at least some rouge wine. In the champagne region the most highly regarded an expense of sparkling rose wines are produced here. Provence is touted as the land of rose. It is an integral part of Provences wine culture. Italy, Spain, Australia, Portugal and parts of the new world; California, Oregon also produce high quality beautiful pinks.
It is becoming more and more widely accepted and popular every year. Seasoned wine drinkers are coming to realize that a blush isn't just a sweet inexpensive vino, no indeed. There are many complex full bodied drier rose wines available, and they're very flexible to pair with many foods.
It is the perfect picnic wine to bring along with some organic cheese and my favorite simple sandwich consists of proscuitto, sweet butter(taking room temperature butter and mix it with a little honey) on a fresh French baguette. I packed my little wine backpack and away I go. The perfect summer afternoon. Drinking blush is no longer something to "blush" about. Cheers
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Gone are the days for us here in North America where we have a limited choice of pink's. Some people were so against even trying them, because for many years they had a reputation here of being a low quality sticky sweet wine. Like that stuff in the huge gallon jug with the ring on it, you know the one!
