Rosé wine
Rosé is simply wine made from red grapes, in which the skins ferment briefly with the colorless juice. The longer this contact lasts, the darker the wine and the fuller the flavor, so the color in your glass already tells you something about the bottle.
Wine by type
Rosé is one of the three colors. Here, you can read more about the other two and about sparkling wines available in a pink version.
White wine
White wine gets the same slender glass and serving temperature as rosé, but lacks the color from the skins.
About white wine →Red wine
With red wine, the skins soak in the must for 24 hours, much longer than with rosé, and you can see and taste that immediately.
About red wine →
Champagne
Rosé Champagne is the only pink wine to which red wine may be added at the end of production.
About Champagne →
Prosecco
The Italian sparkling wine that is also available in a pink version and that you find in almost every spritz.
About Prosecco →Red grapes, colorless juice and a short soaking
Rosé is wine made from red grapes, which immediately clears up the biggest misconception: no white wine is involved. The juice that comes from grapes is always colorless, even in a red grape. The color is in the skin, and the winemaker lets those skins ferment briefly with the juice. For rosé, they soak for eight to fourteen hours in the must, while the skins for red wine remain for a full day. The longer the contact, the darker the wine, so the winemaker determines exactly how intense the pink will be through this soaking time. As a result, rosé ranges from light orange to bright strawberry pink, and this short fermentation process makes the flavor light, refreshing and fruity.
Mixing red wine with white wine to make rosé is not allowed. In the EU, it is even forbidden to market wine made this way as rosé, and winemakers also look down on it among themselves. There is exactly one exception: rosé Champagne, where red wine is added to the white Champagne at the end of production. Which red grape is in the bottle varies by region. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Tempranillo are the usual varieties, often supplemented on the bottles themselves by Cinsault, Carignan or Merlot. The rule that rosé is made from red grapes has one exception: a blush is made from Pinot Grigio, a grape whose pink-colored skin releases just enough color.
In brief
Six bottles, from pale salmon pink to berry red
The intensity of the color says something about the flavor, as it comes from the grape and from how long the skins remain in contact with the juice. These six are arranged in order, from the lightest Provence to the fullest-bodied Spanish wine.
Château de Berne Romance
Light pink in color, with strawberry, peach, melon and mango. Floral, fresh and fruity, making it the classic example of Provence.
Riporta Rosato
A brilliant light pink color and an aromatic bouquet of wild strawberries and pomegranate, underpinned by delicate floral aromas. The flavor is fresh and juicy.
Pierre de Prunet Rosé
A salmon-pink bottle praised for its full yet silky-smooth flavor. Easy to drink, and full-bodied enough for Asian food.
Inycon Growers Pinot Grigio Blush
The exception in this selection, as it is made from pinot grigio, whose pink-colored skin gives it its blush. Lively, full of ripe raspberry and cherry, soft and juicy.
Mucho Más Rosado
Full aromas of red fruit, with an intensely fresh and sweet flavor of red berries, blackberries and cherries. This is the darker, sweeter side of rosé.
Cune Rosado
One hundred percent tempranillo from Rioja, with raspberries, strawberries and blueberries in the glass. A liquorice-like hint of liquorice and a powerful finish make it the fullest-bodied of the six.
Looking for something fresh with a salad? Choose a light Provence. Drinking it with tapas or at a barbecue? Pick a darker bottle from Spain.
Always fruit, and beyond that it depends on the color
Light orange to strawberry pink
The flavor of rosé comes from the grape and the intensity of the color, and the two go hand in hand. A pale bottle is usually light and elegant, while a darker one is fuller and more sensual.
Red fruit and citrus
In all rosés, you taste fruit, from cherries and orange to melon and citrus notes. One bottle may also have spicy notes such as lavender, thyme or rosemary, while another is bursting with ripe red fruit.
Light and refreshing
Because the grape skins ferment along with the juice for only a short time, the flavor remains light, refreshing and fruity. Within that range, dry or sweet is the biggest difference, from a light, elegant rosé for sipping to a spicy sweet wine.
Flavor profile of a light, dry rosé. A darker, sweeter bottle scores higher on sweet and fruity and considerably lower on fresh.
How to pour rosé
Drink rosé chilled, from a slender glass and without fuss. These three things make the difference.
Chill to 8 to 10 degrees
Serve rosé chilled, at 8 to 10 degrees. If the wine is too warm, it loses its fruitiness and the alcohol comes through more strongly. If it is too cold, you smell less and the acidity dominates the taste. Straight from the refrigerator to the table is just right.
The right glass →Pour to just above the widest part
Pour white wine and rosé to just above the widest part of the glass, so slightly fuller than red wine. A 75 cl bottle yields about six glasses, meaning three people can finish a bottle with dinner.
View rosé glasses →With barbecue and aperitifs
A light pink, dry rosé pairs very well with grilled chicken or a fresh salad, and therefore goes with almost anything from the barbecue. The lush fruit of a sweet rosé comes into its own best with a fruit dessert.
From light to dark →Cocktails with a pink sparkle
Rosé is almost always drunk on its own, and classic cocktails made with rosé are rare. These four are made with a related sparkling wine, prosecco or champagne.
Aperol Spritz
Pour prosecco, Aperol and a splash of sparkling water over a glass full of ice.
Hugo Spritz
Elderflower syrup, prosecco, sparkling water, mint and lime.
Bellini
Peach purée at the bottom of the glass, then gently top up with prosecco.
Kir Royal
Pour crème de cassis into the glass and top up with champagne.The right glass for rosé
Rosé belongs in the slender white wine glass, not the wide bowl of a red wine glass. A narrower glass keeps the wine cool for longer and lets the aromas evaporate less quickly. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything you still wanted to know about rosé
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