When you go to the wine section of a supermarket, or to a wine merchant, you quickly realize the multitude of color nuances of rosé wine . From the lightest to the darkest, including gray rosé, it is difficult to make a choice. Here are some tips to help you navigate all the colors of rosé wine .
How to tell the difference between rosé wines?
Not all rosé wines are the same. Just like white wines or red wines, some are fresher, others sweeter, or even more fruity. To help you make your choice, the color of rosé wine can give you several indications of its taste characteristics.
The color of rosé wine reveals the winemaking technique
Unlike white wine or red wine, rosé wine can be made using 3 different winemaking techniques. Each of them makes it possible to obtain wines that are more or less aromatic and structured, but also more or less colorful.
- Rosé wine by direct pressing : here, the grapes are pressed directly after the harvest. The grape juice then remains in very little contact with the coloring pigments of the skin film of the black grape, which gives a pale and fresh rosé wine, with beautiful acidity;
- Rosé wine by maceration : this technique consists of letting the grape juice macerate with the grape skins for just a few hours (compared to several days for red wines). This skin maceration allows a nice transfer of coloring pigments, as well as the development of fruity aromas, thus giving colorful and aromatic rosé wines;
- Saignée rosé wine : saignée wine comes from a vintage intended for the production of red wine. The juice is then taken for maceration after a few hours, to be vinified separately, and to let the rest of the vat finish its maceration and fermentation time with a view to producing red wines. The color of saignée wines is therefore intense, and its flavors are marked.
The color of the wine reveals the grape variety
You will have understood, rosé wine is not a mixture of white wine and red wine, as many think. And if the winemaking technique has a major influence on the color of rosé wines , the type of grape variety and the wine-growing region also have their role to play.
Thus, the nuances of rosé depend a lot on the degree of maturation of the grapes. The grape varieties of Provence are then distinguished by their pale-colored wines, while the grape varieties of the South-West are rather marked by colored wines.
Light rosé wines: a new trend
For several years now, the fashion has been for light-colored rosé wines , as can be found in the wine-growing region of Provence. Thus, many winegrowers work their vines to succeed in obtaining bottles of pale wine. However, this is not a guarantee of quality, because the vine and the grape variety do not express themselves naturally and do not reveal their full potential.
It is then better to compare the color of a rosé wine to its region of production and its grape varieties, to find consistency and ensure a quality rosé wine.
There are more than 140 color shades for rosé wine in France (onion peel, raspberry, salmon, pink marble, rosewood, etc.), and each has its unique characteristics, which in no way reflect taste quality. from the bottle of wine.
Our selection of rosé wines from Provence
If you want to learn about rosé wines, and understand the subtlety of the aromas depending on the color of the color, we offer you a selection of rosé wines from Provence which will undoubtedly seduce you.
- Rosé Vin de France - La Petite des Bertrands : made from Grenache and Syrah, this rosé wine from Provence is a fruity and tasty AOC Côtes-de-Provence, which releases aromas of summer fruits perfect to accompany an aperitif or red meat cooked on the barbecue;
- Rosé 2021 AOP Côtes de Provence - Château de Berne Grande Cuvée : this organic wine from Provence is the deep expression of the Provençal terroir. Its pretty salmon color reveals aromas of vine peach, making it a great ally to accompany grilled fish or a Mediterranean recipe;
- Rosé 2020 AOP Côtes de Provence - Le Pigeonnier : this organically grown rosé wine reflects the terroir of the Saint-Roux estate, and has a beautiful salmon color. Its aromas of white and stone fruits enhance Southern dishes and fish.
The color of a rosé wine reveals many more secrets than we think. Tasting a rosé wine then involves a visual analysis to better understand its subtleties. Now it's time to train! And why not test and deepen your knowledge of oenology by tasting the tasty rosé wines of Provence ?
