Yes Way to Dry Rosé - All Year-Round!
Rosé isn’t just for spring and summer. Where did that ‘rule’ come from?
By Rachel Brown
Light, fruity, refreshing, aromatic. There are dozens of adjectives used to describe dry rosé but one that often doesn’t get used often for this style of wine? Year-round drinker. Typically, when we think of rosé, we think of warm summer afternoons, a platter of fresh cheeses and fruit and that refreshing level of acidity.
While rosé is fresh and lively, the flavor profiles of the wine lend to all season drinking and pairing. Rosé is made differently across the globe, which means there are hundreds of styles and producers to give you the exact profile and body you’re looking for in your wines!
Let’s journey back for a second before we go completely down the rabbit hole. We owe our love of pink wine to the Ancient Greeks. The Greeks used to bring their harvest in, comprised of both white and red grapes, and crush both of them together. It was common then to dilute the wine, and the final product was a slightly off-dry and more tannic style of wine. From there, in the 6th century BC, the Phocaeans brought the grape vines to Marseille in the South of France. After that, there was no stopping talk of the ‘pink wines.’ Thanks to the Romans and their advanced network of trade, rosé bloomed outward from the Mediterranean and started its conquest across the world.
The crushing of both red and white grapes can still be done to create dry rosé, but now there is more refinement in the craft of making that style of wine. The Saignee process is the most popular, and features a bleeding of the grapes. In this process, red grapes (primarily) are brought into the winery and go through the de-stemmer/crusher. The must, which is your crushed up and juicy grape mixture, will be moved into a tank for minimal skin contact. This period can range from a few days to just 24 hours. The longer the juice sits on the skin, the more color and tannin the wine will take on. The goal for this style of wine is to encapsulate all the freshness and fruitiness that these grapes offer naturally.
After the small maceration period, the grapes are moved into a bladder press. The balloon in the tank begins to expand and pushes pressure onto the grapes, causing the juice to ‘bleed’ from the skins. This ensures minimal skin contact on the juice, and that, in turn, results in a lighter color and next to no tannins. The finished project after bottling is a light and young wine, chock full of acid and natural fruits.
Provence has become the epicenter in dry rosé, with its proximity to the Mediterranean and the Lavander fields, their wines are soft and floral, with notes of violet, freesia, raspberries and peaches and are typically made with blends of Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre and Syrah. My most recent French rosé was called JNSQ, and brought together a blend of Viognier, Pinot Gris, Syrah and Grenache. In this style, we see a blending of red juice and white juice together. Pairings for these wines can range from your crisp, bitter salad bases to light pasta dishes, raw seafood or grilled fish.
Nearby, we see savory and earthy rosés from Spain made from Tempranillo, that offer up herbaceous notes of strawberry and spice. Taco Tuesday? Go to Rioja and grab one of these guys.
Moving into the East Coast, we find dry rosé made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Depending on the region, these wines exhibit fresh fruit, natural spices and candied cherry. It’s becoming increasingly popular in New World styles of wine to perhaps have a touch of tannin to them for a little bit of texture, landing them close to their cousins, orange wines. These wines can pair with crispy fried foods or anything that has heat. The acid in these wines is again bright, and will offset any heat in the dish. Think Thai food with a spicy peanut sauce. If you’re looking for a more conventional pairing, try with your Thanksgiving or Easter dinner with roasted ham.
West Coast rosé can be made from any of the aforementioned varietals and Pinot Noir, especially in Oregon and Washington. We can pair these wines with anything ranging from salmon, quiche, burgers or even grilled sausages. The sweet and round fruits of the Pinot Noir shine, making it an easy companion for any of these dishes.
I think that’s the most remarkable thing about rosé: the encapsulation of the fruit. We usually see most of these grapes that I mentioned done in medium to full bodied wines and that typically after a maturation period and bottle aging. But these rosés are the true expression of what they each have to offer, with no mask or barrel to hide behind. It’s remarkable that a grape can have so many complexities and profiles but yet can be overlooked for the seasonality of its drinking style.
It’s also important to note not to be deceived by older vintages of dry rosé! They still maintain their acid and fruit, making them top contenders for holiday dishes or easy drinking and pairing. That style of bottling and fermentation will keep the fruit inviting and fresh even if the bottle is a vintage or two back.
Rosé has struggled to find a seat at the table, thanks to the White Zinfandel styles of wines that turned the market into a sweet style. Many still look askance at rosé, lumping it all under the ‘sweet wine’ umbrella. Thankfully, the tide is turning and these luscious pink wines are finally getting the recognition they’ve longed deserved.
No matter the season, the occasion, the dish or the date, rosé can follow and sway through them all with you and be a most welcomed and cherished companion.
I invite you to try any of the rosés from the areas above and bring them into your home and pair away! I promise you won’t be disappointed.