Ever wonder how to make rose wine?

Ever wonder how to make rose wine? What is a rosé?  Is it Red?  Is it White? Jancis Robinson, one of the world’s most famous wine educators and authors defines it as “ROSÉ IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN WHITE WINE AND RED WINE.” I couldn’t agree more, but is that all there is to rosè? Not at all!

Let’s first define what we are discussing and what we are not.  I’m breaking down wine made from red wine grapes. However, this is not your traditional red wine production. Called rosé in French, rosato in Italian, rosado in Spain, rosé is not a varietal or a singular type of grape.  It is a style of wine!  To be clear, White Zinfandel is NOT what we’re talking about!

How exactly is rosé wine made?  While blending white wine with red wine is an option to create pink wine, we’re going to leave that to sparkling wine and rosé champagne. With that said, my focus is on still wines from pale pink to deep salmon. The range of styles, flavors, colors, and varieties used is vast. Thank goodness as it gives me way more bottles to have to try!

Here’s how to make rosé wine

To be fair, a quick reference to blending is relevant. Just like mixing paint, red wine + white wine = pink wine. However, this method is prohibited in many “classified” areas of Europe, except CHAMPAGNE. Here, whites from Chardonnay and reds from Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Munier ferment separately and mix for the second fermentation. The end result is a luscious, delicately pigmented sparkling wine with hints of strawberry, raspberry, and brioche. Delicious! For more on sparkling wine production, check out these posts:

Now for the fun stuff! And, a few basics. Rosé is made from red wine grapes, or tenturier grapes which naturally have pink pulp creating pink grape juice. See, wine is simple! Varieties from Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, to Cinsault and Grenache, make rosé. Except for tenturier grapes, rosé wines get their color from the grape skins of red, purple, and black grapes! Easy peasy! 

So, you ask, how exactly are they made?

There are a few primary methods for making rosé. The wines color and flavor intensity is a result of exposure to the grape skins a winemaker allows. Let’s dive in.

Direct Press Method:

• Grapes slowly press to release the juice. 
• The juice is in contact with the skins (remember, this is where red wines get their color in the first place!).
• Extremely short exposure gives just a hint of color versus spending extended exposure to the grape skins.
• The lightest rosés are made in this way, minimizing contact with the skin for slight pigmentation
• Resulting style will be light hints of red fruit, typically strawberry, and some bright citrus to peachy notes
• The varietal of grape used will impart unique flavors and aromas.

Limited Skin Maceration Method:

• This is the most popular and frequently used winemaking method for rosé.
• The grapes crush and the skin stays in contact with the juice for a limited amount of time, typically a few hours.
• Too much time imparts not only deeper color, but can infuse too strong of flavors.
• There is a delicate balance to getting the right amount of additional flavor from the skins without unwanted attributes.
• Based on the length of maceration with the skins, these rosés may be super light or deeply pigmented.
• While frequently used, this is risky! Too much skin contact can’t be reversed, it is a game of precision!

Yes, there are more ways to make rosé!

Saignée Method:

• Saignée means “to bleed”.
• This method makes both rosé and red wine, even deeply concentrated ones.
• Grapes crush and maceration begins in the same way as with red winemaking
• While the color is still fairly light, a portion of the juice “bleeds off” the tank and vinified separately as rosé.
• The remaining red wine is left in contact with the skins.
• This red wine is deeply concentrated as the juice-to-skin ratio is reduced. 
• This method may result in a much richer and more flavorful rosé.

Teinturier Grapes:

• While most wine grapes have white pulp, there are grapes where the skin and pulp is actually red in color.
• The juice of these grapes contains ANTHOCYANIN pigments
• The grapes can be pressed and fermented off the skins while still making a deeply pigmented rosé.

Flavors and aromas of rosé wine

Pretty cool stuff! I’m sure you’re now asking what the flavor palate of rosé wine is. The flavors of rosé can vary as greatly as the varieties used and the colors produced! Citrus, yes, citrus flavors can be present in these red grape derivatives. While citrus is typically only referenced in whites, rosé can have significant citrusy notes from lemon to tangerine. Berries, typically red berries like strawberry or raspberry, these wines are always juicy and fresh. Melon, honeydew mostly, can be found and will be more earthy than cantaloupe in flavor. Finally, stalky fruit such as rhubarb, and stalky vegetables like celery, can be flavor characteristics in rosé. 

I’ve referenced the wide range of colors this style of wine can produce. Get out your big box of Crayolas and stick with me here.  The color palate of rosé wine can be the palest of pink or salmon. This barely there blush has just a hint of color. Bright berry pink, from faint to intense is the perfect accessory to the Barbie pink color range. Salmon, with hints of brown or rust undertones, is a more flesh-colored rosé. Almost Red, is it a red or is it a rosé?  These wines are deeply pigmented with red, ruby, garnet, or purple translucent color.  These wines have had significant skin contact. 

Orange wines are not made from red grapes as the ways described above. They are made from white grapes instead. The skin contact with white grape varieties imparts a pale orange color to the wine. Trust me, no orange juice is is used!

How and when to drink rosé

Now that you know how to make rosé wine, what’s next? Grabbing a few bottles and drinking them of course! Helpful hint, drink your rosé as soon as you bring it home.  They are typically bottled in clear bottles. While allowing you to see their gorgeous color, clear bottles provide no protection from light damage, DRINK THEM NOW!

Rosé is surprisingly one of the most food-friendly wines around. From summer barbecue to spicy Thai or Mexican food, the freshness of rosé holds up quite well to heat. I’m a fan of how well rosé pairs with sushi! While I’m a pescatarian, I do encourage rosé as a perfect partner for roast chicken, pork tenderloin, or a charcuterie board. These wines are not just for summer anymore, they’re lovely at Thanksgiving or Christmas!

What rosé is in my glass?

Whew! We’ve covered how to make rosé wine and all of the styles, colors, and food pairings, but what about my wine recommendations? Here are a few favorites!

– ROSEBLOOD, 2023 – Direct press with hints of strawberry, melon, and peach. Grenache / Cinsault / Syrah / Rolle

– LANGETWINS Aglianico 2022 – Saignée method with faint tannins paired with strawberry, cherry, and crunchy cranberry. 

– MOTHER VINE 2023 – Saignée method delivering Meyer lemon and strawberry from 150-year old vine source.

We’ve covered a lot today, but this is just the tip of the iceberg! I’ve covered rosé in several previous posts. Check them out, and continue to enjoy this fun, and fabulously diverse wine style! 

Cheers!