A Rose Walkthrough
Ah, Rose. Blush. Clairet. Rosado. The delicious pink beverage of the wine world. Our Rose selection at Five Vines has always been...small. However, the rose is still one of the best sellers here! Especially during those warm summer months, most people are looking for a little (Or a lot) of rose in their lives. The popularity of the beverage is growing more and more and seems to have no end in sight. So in celebration of rose and the addition of our brand spanking new Frose machine at Five Vines, here is an in depth look at the mysterious pink elixir of the wine world.
Rose is, historically, the closest we can get to drinking ancient red wine. Like many things we explore here, our contemporary concepts of rose are actually very modern and are quite unlike the historical reality. Not to get too crazy into detail, but ancient winemakers did not care much for letting things sit around. Older winemaking techniques involved far less maceration and lighter pressing, poorer storage, and a typically greater need for wine in a short time (water was not always the healthiest beverage in the world). Wines left to sit too long became too harsh and were considered unpleasant. As such, “red” wine typically had a light and pinkish hue. Neat, right? Honor your ancestors: Drink the pink.
Now this story may leave you confused. Is that all there is to rose? No. Isn’t there a special yeast? Nope. Or do they just mix red and white wine? Double nope, because that usually tastes gross. Actually, only teinturer wine grapes (Alicante Bouschet, for example) have red skin AND red flesh, which means red juice. Typically, the red of red wine comes from the skins of the grapes. The flesh inside is clear, allowing the color to come from the soaking the grape skins with the juice, a process called maceration. Rose wines, in the most common and traditional means of production, are given a fairly low maceration time. Between 12 - 48 hours are all that is given to the process. The saignee (bleeding) process can also be used, but it is more controversial. Less skin contact, lighter the hue. More skin contact, darker the hue. It is that easy!
This isn’t to say that rose doesn’t have the same complexity as any other wine. Indeed, you will find roses of multiple colors and significant variation between sweetness and dryness. Here is a look at some of the cool types of rose out there:
Provencal Rose: The Rise of Rose
If you drink a rose, there are pretty good odds it is a Provencal. Provencal produces mostly Grenache rose, and rose itself takes over 50% of the wine production from the region. Between being an excellently herbaceous region, rich warm climate, and thousands of years worth of rose making from the region, it is no surprise why Provence rose is so popular. The expected pink hue and crisp dryness are the standard with most rose drinkers.
Tavell Rose: The Rose Disciples
Interestingly enough, the Tavel AOC is solely focused on the production of rose. The grapes commonly used are Grenache and Cinsault, but some other grapes (such as Carignan, Syrah, or Mourvedre) are allowed into the blend. They are known for being a bolder, dark, and more structured rose than the lighter Provencal. The Tavel Rose still has good range, but is spicier, fruitier, AND drier. A far more hearty version of rose that is geared more toward the typical red wine drinker.
The Whites: White Zin, Cab, and Merlot
Yes, White Zinfandel is a rose! As are all the White Cabs, Merlots, and other White Reds out there. Think about it! Rose is typically made by a shortened maceration process, saignee, or a different pressing method. The first White Zin, by the Sutter Home in the 70s, happened due to accidental stuck fermentation (a good portion of the sugar did not convert into alcohol). Rather than trying to start up fermentation again or blend the wine into other wines, the Sutter Home team just decided to bleed the juice and bottle it. That is all that makes these wines! Typically, these style wines hold firm to the sweeter and more fruit forward spectrum of the rose family. As such, people say call them a blush. Now a blush IS also rose. Some may argue against such a thing, debating the semantics of the various processes to making rose. At the end of the day though, it is still rose. Those looking for a sweeter drink will definitely find those wines in the White family a people pleaser.
Australian and New World Roses: The New Kids on the Block
If you are looking for new, interesting and on the rise rose, look no further than Australia and Long Island. The Long Island area is making a stand in the rose world, making new and different styles with a multitude of range. Australia has a multitude of fantastic growing regions, allowing for paler and drier rose and deeper more fruit forward wines. Those looking for a break in traditional rose for a newer styles and innovative wine making should seek out the Australian or Long Island rose makers.
As always, the quality of the wine varies from winery to winery and from person to person. Everyone’s palate is different, and the best wine doesn’t depend on price, varietal, or region. The best wine is the wine you like to drink! Hopefully this little look into rose helps you find the right rose for you and help give an appreciation to the popular pink drink. Join us at Five Vines and try our rose of choice, the Miraflors Rose by Domaine Lafage. A light, crisp pink rose from Roussillon made with a delicate blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, and Grenache Gris. Also give our new Frose a try! Made with all organic, vegan, non-GMO juices and the delicious J. Mourat 2018 Collection Val De Loire Rose. And remember, every Sunday Frose is $2 off normal price!