How do they make Rosé?

Greetings Friend!

While it's not technically summer, it is definitely Rosé season. Temperatures are up and we need something cool, refreshing and delicious in our glass that will work from noon till night. And, as someone famous once said "Who needs the south of France when you can have sunshine in your glass?"

I'm not talking about White Zinfandel (White Zin) which is a sweet to off-dry rosé made famous by Sutter Home in the late 80's and 90's. Most Rosé you find now is dry but flavorful and fruit forward with no residual sugar.

But what makes Rosé, Rosé? First of all, Rosado (in Spanish) or Rosato (in Italian) is wine that has some of the color imparted by red grape skins, but not enough for it to be considered red wine. That is why it can range in color from the palest salmon to just shy of red wine.

Most of the Rosé you'll find in our store is made one of two ways:

~ Saignée method- Saignée is French for "bleed." During red wine production, some of the juice is bled off of the main batch. This helps the remaining juice be exposed to more of the skins, which is where the color of red wine comes from. Basically, you're concentrating the remaining red wine. The juice you bled off has had less exposure to the skins, therefore, less color. Some scoff at this method because it's sort of a by-product of making red wine. We try not to be that snobby around here.

~ Direct Press or Skin Contact method- Just like making red wine but you drain the juice off the skins very quickly so less color is imparted. 

It's that simple!

Here are three very different but delicious wines for you to compare!

MIRAVAL CÔTES DE PROVENCE ROSÉ, FRANCE 2022    $24.99

G.D. VAJRA 'ROSABELLA' ROSATO, ITALY 2021    $16.99

MCCALL, CORCHAUG ESTATE, 'MARJORIE'S ROSÉ, NORTH FORK OF
LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK 2023    $15.99

Expand your palate and enjoy!
Mike Mraz