Fresh and fruity, rosé wine has become a go-to spring and summer beverage. Though many wine drinkers love it, they don’t know exactly what rosé wine is.
Whether you’re a seasoned vino drinker or a total newbie, read on to learn everything there is to know about rosé.
What is Rosé Wine And Where Does It Come From?
This refreshing pink drink has been taking the world by storm, and here’s the low down.
Rosé wine is made primarily from red wine grapes. It can also be made from red and white grape blends. Unlike wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, rosé does not need to be made from a specific type of grape.
The color of wine comes from the skins of grapes as they soak with the juice in a process called maceration. The longer they soak, the darker the red color in the wine.
Rosé is different from other wines because the grape skins spend much less time in contact with the juice. That’s why rosé is such a light hue of pink.
Typically full-bodied red wines macerate with the skins for up to a month, whereas a rosé macerates for just a few days, at most. The result is a light-bodied drink with a signature pink coloration.
Though rosé seems to be the newest, most fashionable wine type in the U.S., it’s not actually all that new. The history of rosé wine begins in France centuries ago. The region produces more rosé than any other style. French production accounts for nearly 30 percent of rosé wine produced globally, followed by Spain (21 percent), and the U.S. (14 percent).
The Different Types of Rosé Wine
Rosé wine is known for being fruity and refreshing with notes of strawberry, blueberry, and melon. It’s a common misconception that rosé is always sweet. European-style rosés tend to be drier. Common types of grapes used to make rosé by type include:
Sweet
White Zinfandel
White Merlot
Pink Moscato
Dry
Baco Noir
Cabernet Sauvignon
Pinot Noir
Syrah
Aronia Berries Add Complexity
Rosé can also be infused with other types of berries during maceration. Snow Farm Vineyard soaks Aronia berries with Baco Noir and Frontenac Gris grapes to make a complex fruit-forward rosé.
“We like the color the Aronia berries give our wine and it also brings in some unique flavors,” said head winemaker Patrick Barrelet. “Usually our rosé is very strawberry forward, but the Aronia gives it flavors of raspberry and blueberry, plus the strawberry makes it a richer type of rosé.”
How to Serve and Drink Rosé Wine
Rosé is best served chilled between 50 and 60 degrees. It’s best to remove the bottle from the fridge and let it warm up slightly.
If you drink wine too cold, it can hide the flavors. You’ll experience more of the fruit-forward notes as the wine comes up in temperature.
Food Pairings For Rosé Wine
Rosé is best served alongside good friends on warm, sunny days when you can appreciate the light, fruity flavors of the season.
Pair with vegetables, seafood, light appetizers, and chicken. Any picnic lunch is a perfect companion to a bottle of rosé.
A Rosé Cocktail Recipe
A great way to use the rosé in a cocktail is with a Rosé Refresher. The Snow Farm Vineyard Rosé is perfect for this. It’s on the dry side and has lovely tart fruit flavors.
Rosé Refresher Cocktail
Ingredients:
1 oz. vodka
1/4 oz. simple syrup
3 fresh basil leaves
2 or 3 fresh sliced strawberries
2 oz. chilled Rosé
Instructions:
Add vodka, simple syrup, and basil leaves to a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously then pour this mixture into a glass with sliced strawberries and ice cubes. Pour the Rosé over the top and stir gently. Add an additional basil leaf on top of the drink as a garnish.
So, grab a bottle of rosé and raise your glass to this warm-weather favorite!
Order the Snow Farm Vineyard Rosé for a taste of the only rosé we know of made with Aronia berries. It’s released in May and typically sells out by September.
