A Rosé by Any Other Name
Written by Erika Sato
Photo by Mathilde Langevin on Unsplash
Let’s talk about dry rosé! A wine that is thought about most in the summer, but is actually really drinkable any time of the year. It is, however, most closely associated with the advent of warmer weather, sunny days on the beach or the deck, and by the pool.
Rosé is best described as the middle sibling. Neither red, nor white, but somewhere in-between with some of the best characteristics of both. It’s the wine for the Goldilocks in all of us. Not as heavy as red, not as light in flavor as white. In a lot of cases, it’s just right. Made in a number of ways, rosé can exhibit the very lightest of color up to very extracted hues and also display the same large range of flavor intensity.
There are four most common ways to make a rosé. First is the direct press method, where red grapes are crushed and pressed like a white wine. If done gently, this will extract a little color from the skins, and produce a very light colored, delicate wine.
A second method is drawing off , where red grapes are processed as they would in red wine production. However, the juice intended to be rosé is drawn off after only a short time in contact with the skins. The longer the juice stays in contact with the skins, the darker the color.
The third method is Saignée, which is similar to the drawing off method. The Saignée method originated as a method to concentrate red wine, where only a portion of the juice is drawn off. The bulk of the juice remains to produce a red wine, and the rosé can be thought of as a by-product of this process. Subtly different in intent, being a “byproduct” of the red wine process, the type and ripeness of the grapes used may not be ideal for the production of rosé.
The last method is blending, where a small amount of red wine is added to white wine to give it color. This last method is not allowed in the EU, with the exception of Champagne – but that’s another entire article! Blending is often used in the production of inexpensive, bulk rosé. See the diagram below for more details on production methods.
There are probably two classic regions when you think of rosé. Both in France, not too far from one another. The first is Provence in Southern France, known for producing crisp, elegant rosé based primarily on Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault grapes. The second is Tavel, in the Rhone. This region is known for producing only rosé and makes some of the most intensely colored and bold, ageable rosés from the classic Rhone grapes (Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre, Cinsault, Clairette, Bourboulenc).
Why is dry rosé the Goldilocks of wine? And why is this wine category so fun to explore? Well, first, it’s the go-to for when you want a little more body and red fruit character than a white wine has to offer without the heaviness of a red wine. It’s perfect with medium bodied foods such as poultry or pork, and fruity enough to complement summer meals such as barbeque. It also has enough acidity to make it a great food wine. Serving it with a slight chill makes it really refreshing.
Over the last few years the category of dry rosé has exploded! You can now find rosés made from a nearly infinite variety of grapes from all over the world. Each of which adds their own unique character. It’s becoming true that you can find a rosé that not only drinks well on its own, but also pairs with just about anything with the exception of the most delicate or very hearty foods. That also means that you can find rosés in different styles and different characteristics, while still being oh-so-drinkable!
It’s a really fun category to explore and SPOILER ALERT! stay tuned for the Goldilocks follow-up – we’ll be exploring the world of rosé through what other than our rosé colored glasses.
Which Rosé am I drinking now?
Pasqua 11 Minutes:
So let’s talk Pasqua 11 Minutes Rosé. The “11 minutes” refers to the duration that the skins maintain contact with the juice to give it its slightly rosy shade.
50% Corvina, 25% Trebbiano di Lugana, 15% Syrah, 10% Carménère. Corvina is a grape variety grown primarily in the Veneto region of northern Italy, and is known for producing medium-bodied, red-fruited wines. In this case, Corvina is used to provide some floral characteristics, as well as acidity to the wine. Trebbiano di Lugana, or Turbiana, is a grape that perhaps is not actually part of the Trebbiano family. That aside, it is used to add elegance and length; the Syrah contributes fruit and spice, and Carmérére, structure.
Tasting notes:
This is a light peach colored Rosé, with light salmon and yellow reflections. Very aromatic, with notes of red fruit (ripe and candied raspberry, strawberry and some cherry), watermelon, peach and even a hint of tangerine. Floral notes on the nose carry through on the finish. This is a juicy, fruity rosé with a rounded mouth feel, but nonetheless finishes clean and crisp, with a little white spice and minerality.
And, check out the packaging. Unique bottle shape, glass stopper, clear bottle so you can see the color of the rosé. Plus a poem on the front, and a picture through the middle. Forget reading the back of the cereal box, this bottle has it all! (Photo and composition information courtesy of https://www.pasqua.it )
About the Author
While Erika may not be a Rochester native, she now calls the Flour City home. A Certified Sommelier and WSET level 3 certified, Erika spends her time thinking about the perfect food and wine pairings and finding the right wines for every situation. A self-professed “wine geek”, working at Parkway is the ideal match, as she can spend her time exploring different wine regions and less well-known grapes. She is also passionate about passing along her wine knowledge and enthusiasm for wine to others, and is excited to be able to put together educational and fun wine packs and seminars for our customers.
When not at the store, Erika spends her time practicing and playing music, and hopes to be out performing again soon. She has also been a sales representative and sommelier for a winery and judged numerous national and international wine competitions.