If it has long been considered a simple wine, drinking by the pool or with grills, rosé wine shows today a great diversity and a good complexity. Let us then discover the sometimes well -hidden secrets of Rosé wine.
The little story of rosé wine
Rosé wine is the oldest wine, born on the oldest wine region in France: Provence. We find, in fact, the first traces of viticulture at 3th Millennium before our era, thanks to the establishment of the first feet of vines by the Greeks during the Massilia (Marseille) foundation. We then cultivate the grapes to produce a wine halfway between red wine and rosé wine, a wine that was called the claret.
Over time, vinification techniques are improving, as is the methods of cultivation of the vine, which gradually makes it possible to obtain increasingly qualitative pink wines, and to extend the Manufacture of rosé wine to the whole of France, or almost.
Where does the pink color of rosé wine come from?
To get this Pretty pink dress Or salmon, the winemaker uses a very special vinification technique. It usually starts (but not always) with the same method as for red wine, with Moceration of the must. The grape juice, in contact with the skin pigments, then takes a nice pinkish shade. The maceration is then stopped to keep the color, but above all all the very specific aromas of rosé wine.
Vinification of rosé wine: let's get into the details
There is no one and only Rosé wine manufacturing method. The winemaker is indeed free to choose from 3 techniques.
The maceration rosé
From black grape variety, the Maceration rosé wine is the fruit of a short maceration (from 12 to 32 hours), in tank. The must is then in a hurry to remove the skin, the seeds and the pulp, and keep only the colorful juice.
The juice is then placed in fermentation at low temperature, to preserve the aromas as much as possible.
The pressing rosé
Unlike the maceration rosé, the pressing rosé is obtained by pressing the whole grape grain, directly after the harvest. The juice is then put into fermentation. The color of the pressing rosé is paler, since the contact between the skin and the juice has been shorter.
The bleeding rosé
The Vinification of the bleeding rosé is the same as for the rosy maceration wine. On the other hand, the grape put into tank is initially provided for the winemaking of red wine. After having macerated a few hours (half a day), part of the tank juice is taken, to be vinified aside. This juice obtained was then sufficiently imbued with the pigments of the grape skins, to produce a Wine with a pink shade.
The rest of the tank continues its vinification in red wine, and the bleeding rosé is placed in fermentation.
Grape varieties to make rosé wine
Rosé wine is not produced only in Provence. Each winemaker takes advantage of the specifics of his terroir to cultivate different grape varieties, which will give various pink wines. Rosé wine is thus generally produced from Red or black grape varieties.
The grape varieties of the Southeast
In the south-east (Provence, Languedoc-Roussillon, Rhône valley, etc.) there are essentially 4 grape varieties that allow pink wines.
- the cinsault : very fertile, it gives generous, fresh and fine wines, with fruity aromas of raspberry, fishing and strawberry;
- the grenache : powerful and fruity, this grape gives wines to the aromas of spices and strawberries;
- The syrah : king grape variety for the manufacture of rosé wine, it gives powerful and colorful wines, with notes of spices and black fruits;
- the Mourvèdre : Offering rosy drive wines, this black grape variety is renowned for its aromas of violet and blackberry, and its spicy notes;
- the Carignan : This red grape variety gives colored wines, with flavors of pepper, violet, black cherry and blackberry.
Northeast grape varieties
Further north, French wine regions that produce rosé wine are mainly based on 2 grape varieties.
- the Pinot Noir : very present in Burgundy, this black grape variety offers pink wines of very great aromatic complexity;
- the gamay : This very old grape variety offers fresh, fruity and gourmet pink wines.
Rosé wine to tasting
Symbol of summer and conviviality, the Rosé wine can be enjoyed with friends, family, or even in love, by the pool, or around a large table.
On the nose, rosé wine offers floral notes bouquets of roses, fields of white flowers, or even lavender fields. From the first inspirations, we dive directly into the heart of Provence!
On the palate, rosé wine continues to make you travel, with Aromas of exotic fruits, red fruits, citrus, or spices. Tasted very fresh, he is the ally of vacationers. But it is also very popular in winter, to accompany comforting dishes.
The colors of rosé wine
The rosy wines Offer a wide color palette, pale salmon with radiant raspberry. We owe this diversity to different vinification techniques, but also to the different assemblies of grape varieties, and to the different wine regions.
Thus, we find the pale shades In Provence (pink milk, pink petal ...), then they intensify in Corsica, in the Rhône valley, in Languedoc-Roussillon (pink salmon, fishing ...), in Bordeaux (raspberry), to finish in the The most colorful shades, in the southwest (brick, rosewood, etc.). In total, rosé wine is available in 15 colors.
Rosé wine: the best food and wine chords
With its freshness, rosé wine is always a guest of choice on the Tables of Provence, where the Mediterranean regional cuisine is in the spotlight. But you can also accompany white meats, grilled fish, vegetables and salads in good Rosé wine bottle. Light in the mouth and subtly fruity, it will accompany you throughout the meal, from the aperitif to the dessert.
Do you like to taste a good glass of rosé wine with a hot summer day? You now know all its secrets to appreciate all its finesse and complexity. the Berne Castle invites you to taste his Rosé wine AOC Côtes-de-Provence, to discover all that the Provençal terroir has to offer you.
