Food & Wine’s Rose Fact Sheet
Wine Guide Fact Sheet: Rosés By Richard Nalley
- What are they? Rosés are usually made by siphoning off the juice of red grapes after a brief contact with the color-bearing grape skins. (Longer contact would turn the wine red.) Some rosés are produced by tincturing white wine with a little red wine, but the people who use this technique don’t usually brag about it.
- Where are they from? Most of the rosés I look for come from southern France—Provence, Tavel, Bandol, Languedoc, Roussillon. But Italy and Spain make some sensational dry rosés. So does California, though there it’s a labor of love. Consumer confusion with treacly, sweet “blush” wines has discouraged many American producers.
- What do you serve them with? Since dry rosés are as refreshing as chilled white wines, with the body and the spirited fruit character of light reds, they bridge a lot of gaps. In particular, young rosés are wonderful with smoky, salty, peppery flavors. They bring out the best in a dish of charcoal-grilled chicken, garlicky shrimp or peppery sausage, and there’s no other wine you’d want with your ham sandwich.
- What should you look for? Although they come in a range of colors and flavors, European-style dry rosés will typically have a kick of fruitiness, with a dry edge in the finish, and a lift of acidity to keep it lively. If a pink wine tastes like melted bubblegum, you’ve got a “white” Zinfandel, not a rosé.
via: Food & Wine’s Wine Guide Fact Sheet
