Let’s face it, we all love rosé! In any type of scenario like this, the level of love varies, but we all love rosé.  You may not even know it yet, but chances are you will stumble upon a bottle, open it, pour a glass and enjoy it are basically unavoidable in 2017.  Since this style has been growing rapidly you can find lots of different options. Our wine portfolio has seen some amazing additions to compliment the world class portfolio and partners we have been representing for years. We have been watching rosé sales here in Vermont increase steadily year after year, not shockingly America is now the third largest producer! There are plenty of online resources to learn and become an expert on this style – something we encourage you to dive into. I hope you will join us in celebrating rosé this June, learning more about what it, and how it is made. – Ryan Chaffin | Director of Marketing

The following is from the Gallo University.

The term rosé refers to a wine whose color lies in a range somewhere between white and red (also called “blush” wines in the United States). These wines usually begin with red grapes, usually low tannin, with medium to high acidity. Light to moderate skin contact yields the desired color. Three main methods are used to produce rosé wines:” – gallo university

  • The direct press method: black grapes are pressed and the juice is immediately vinified, without further skin contact. These wines are very light in color.
  • Abbreviated red wine method: black grapes are crushed and then given one to three days of skin contact. The pale juice is then fermented in the absence of the skins. This is the most popular method in Europe.
  • Saignée method: black grapes are lightly crushed but not pressed and given less than 24 hours of skin contact (sometimes just a few hours). The juice is then bled off for fermentation. 

One method that is not allowed in the EU is the mixing of red and white wine. The sole exception to this rule in the EU: Champagne. 

Rose vs. Blush

Primary difference between most domestic “blush” ie white zin, white merlot, etc is that with these the wines fermentation is halted between 8-12% abv. The grapes are harvested at high sugar (brix) content so there is a good deal of residual sugar and perceptible sweetness in finished product. Rose on the other hand is harvested according to standard brix levels for quality table wines so the wines when finished fermenting are around 11-13% abv and have little to no residual sugar.

Food Pairings:

The beauty of Rose is its versatility in pairings due its various styles of very light high acid and mineral to bigger more extracted fruit notes and rounder mid palate. It can be great just as an aperitif but also great with  soft/fresh cheeses, salads, and lighter proteins like seafood, chicken, pork. It also can pair well different ethnic foods such as Indian Cuisine, Thai, and Sushi.

FROM OUR FRIENDS AT WINE FOLLY

See the entire article here HTTP://WINEFOLLY.COM/REVIEW/MANY-DIFFERENT-SHADES-OF-ROSE-WINE/

the-many-shades-of-rose-wine-in-a-glass

How to Make Rosé Wine

There are two major differences between making White wine and Rosé wine. First, Rosé wines use both white and red grape varieties. Second, standard Rosé winemaking looks a lot more like how white wine is made with an additional maceration time added in the beginning.

“It’s all about timing.”


Maceration Method

The maceration method is most commonly used for commercial Rosé. Maceration is when the grapes are pressed and sit in their skins. In red wine making, maceration usually lasts throughout the fermentation. For Rosé, the juice is separated from the skins before it gets too dark. For lighter varieties, like Grenache, it can take 24 hours. For darker red-wine varieties, like Mourvedre, the process sometimes only lasts a few hours.

Vin Gris Method

Vin Gris, translates to “Gray Wine” and is when red grapes are used to make a nearly-white wine. Vin Gris uses an extremely short maceration time. This style of Rosé winemaking is popular for the lighter red wine varieties such as Pinot Noir in the United States and Gamay or Cinsault in France.

The Saignée Method

The Saignée method is capable of producing some of the longest lasting Rosé wines. It is actually a by-product of red winemaking. During the fermentation of a red wine about 10% of the juice is bled off. This process leaves a higher ratio of skin contact on the remaining juice, making the resulting red wine richer and bolder. The leftover bled wine or “Saignée” is then fermented into Rosé. Wines made from the Saignée method are typically much darker than Maceration Method wines and also much more savory.

8 MILLION REASONS ROSÉ IS THE F*CKING BEST

 Written by By  for Cosmopolitan http://www.cosmopolitan.com/food-cocktails/a57154/best-rose-wine-brands/ 

7. It’s perfect when it’s chilled. How yummy is the prospect of a cold glass of rosé when you’re watching the sun go down on a warm day? “The colder wine is, the more it shuts down,” White says. “It doesn’t reveal as many of its characteristics. But the colder it is, the more refreshing and satisfying it will be. You may not pick out that hint of jasmine or strawberry in the wine until it warms up a bit. In New Orleans, I tend to serve wines slightly colder than is correct, because that’s what people need. That’s pleasurable.”

You could put ice in the rosé — no one will throw you in wine jail for it — but I wouldn’t recommend it, and neither would Smith. “City water has lots of things in it, like chlorine, and you’d never want those flavors in your grapes. Really, you don’t want to dilute the purity of something so nice. Just keep it chilled.”

If you bought an unchilled bottle of rosé at the store and want to drink it ASAP, stick it in the freezer for 20 minutes. “It will be the perfect temperature every time,” Smith says. “It’s hard to wait but just resist temptation. The 20 minutes will be worth it.”

8. It tastes good with everything. Sophisticates and actual wine experts may fight me over this, but I’m just going to say that, to me, rosé works no matter what the meal I’m drinking it with may be. Still, there might just be a perfect food for rosé, according to Smith, and that’s chicken. Boring? Wait ’til you hear him tell it: “A roast chicken and rosé is absolutely fantastic. Chicken is one of those satisfying, not complicated things — shouldn’t that be the most perfect food for wine? It’s something you should just open up your heart and your mouth and enjoy.”  Yes, thank you for that inspiration! I’m going to go do that now.