Rosé wine tasting is a fun exercise that allows you to have a good time around a good bottle, while refining your knowledge of oenology. Much more complex than it seems, this type of tasting awakens the senses. So, for a unique experience, let's see how to choose a rosé wine for a blind tasting .
Choosing a rosé for a blind tasting: the grape varieties
Wine lovers appreciate rosé wines for the diversity of characteristics they present. A Côtes de Provence rosé is very different from a Bordeaux rosé, and even on the same terroir, rosé wines vary. Typicality essentially comes from one element: the grape variety. You can then choose your bottle to taste blind according to the main grape varieties :
- Tibouren , which offers notes of white-fleshed fruit and a pale color;
- Carignan , which reveals aromas of red and black fruits (cherry, blackberry, prune, etc.), as well as spices;
- Cinsault , which reveals a beautiful pale pink color on visual examination, and upon taste analysis, aromas of red fruits;
- Cabernet-Sauvignon , which is mainly used in blending, and which offers floral and vegetal notes;
- Mourvèdre , which reveals notes of black fruits and full-bodied rosé wines;
- Syrah , which reveals fruity and fine aromas;
- Grenache , which offers an aromatic palette around flavors of red fruits and spices.
Blind tasting of rosé wines: the chronology
As with red wines or white wines, tasting rosé wines must respect a certain chronology , so as not to spoil the experience.
From the lightest to the most powerful
If you plan to taste several vintages during your tasting evening, it is better to respect a certain order, so as not to saturate your taste buds from the first sips.
It is therefore advisable to start with the lightest rosés , and gradually move towards the more powerful rosés. Indeed, a full-bodied rosé is loaded with tannins, which can reduce the sensitivity of the taste buds. You would not appreciate the aromas of light wines if they came after vintages of character which leave a nice lingering taste.
From driest to softest
It is also advisable to taste the rosés starting with the driest , ending with the sweetest. In other words, you have to finish with the sweetest bottles of rosé. Indeed, the residual sugar content of sweet rosés is such that the taste buds can quickly become saturated, preventing you from smelling the finer aromas of dry rosés.
Aging in the Cellar: Old vintages before young bottles
When wine evolves, over time, the tannins it contains gradually melt and give rise to new aromas. It is better, in these conditions, to start tasting with the oldest rosés , whose tannins are lighter, then to finish with the youngest rosés.
Rosé wine critics have differing opinions on this recommendation, but it can guide the tasting of young wine lovers.
Valuable explanation & visual analysis:
The tips above are general guides, but a successful tasting also depends on the visual analysis of the wine, the valuable explanation of the aromas, and the personal appreciation of each person.
Take the time to savor every moment of your tasting, exploring the subtle nuances that each pink color in your glass can offer.
Succeed in a blind tasting: the right conditions
Wine tasting is an interesting and fun exercise, which allows you to learn more about a type of wine, a grape variety, the wine-growing regions... Do you want to discover the Côtes de Provence? Visit the Berne estate cellar for a blind tasting of rosé wines from Provence .
Choosing the right bottles and the order to serve rosés is essential, but you also have to practice the exercise in the best conditions.
For an optimal visual examination, we try to find a well-lit space, with natural light, if possible. Having a white background is also useful for clearly observing the color of the wine.
For the olfactory examination and taste analysis, it is better not to plan the tasting immediately after a meal, and to avoid chewing gum or cigarettes.
Wine tasting is an interesting and fun exercise, which allows you to learn more about a type of wine, a grape variety, a wine region...
During this experience, you will be able to appreciate the beautiful intensity of the aromas and the freshness on the palate, specific to the wines of this renowned wine-growing region. Whether you are a novice or an experienced amateur, this tasting will allow you to deepen your level of knowledge of rosé wines and explore the subtleties that make each bottle unique."
Do you want to discover the Côtes de Provence, prestigious vintages? Visit the cellar of the Domaine de Berne for a blind tasting of rosé wines from Provence. Let yourself be carried away by the experience and share this tasting with friends around beautiful rosés, in a friendly atmosphere, to savor each sip of this iconic rosé.
