Consider yourself a fan of rosé? Here’s everything you need to know about what’s in your glass

Long gone are the days when rosé was considered too pink, too girly or too sweet – fuelled by the Californian ‘blush’ styles of white zinfandel that became popular in the 1970s. The drinks category is now steadily emerging as one that should be taken seriously, with a huge range of styles to suit different tastes and occasions. Herein lies the appeal of rosé – with its refreshing acidity and crisp, fruity profile, it can be enjoyed on its own or paired with food, from seafood to grilled meat and veg, and there are few wines that go better with spicy dishes. 

Its versatility is, in part, behind Sainsbury’s seeing a 50% increase in sales of rosé over the past five years, but it is also down to aspirational Provençal brands, such as Whispering Angel, Mirabeau and Miraval, elevating the category to a premium level.

HOW IS ROSÉ WINE MADE?

Contrary to what some people believe, rosé is not usually made by blending red and white wines, aside from in Champagne where the blending method has always been used to make pink Champagne. However, rosé production does combine elements of both red and white winemaking – for starters, it is usually made with red (or black) grapes. Unlike red wines, which are fermented with their grape skins, rosé undergoes a short period of skin contact (anywhere from a few hours to a few days), allowing it to absorb some of the pigments but not enough to create a full red hue. The result is a wine that is typically light pink to deep coral in colour, although some rosés are so dark they look more like light red wine than rosé. It’s more prudent to think of rosé as a style of wine rather than a wine of a particular colour. 

Some of the darker styles are made using a method called saignée (meaning ‘to bleed’ in French), which involves running off some of the juice destined for red wine while it is still pink. It’s possible to make rosé from any red (or black) skinned grape but common varieties include grenache, syrah (shiraz), cinsault, pinot noir and sangiovese.

WHICH IS THE BEST ROSÉ?

Rosé is made across the globe but just four countries are responsible for 71% of production: France, Spain, the United States and Italy. In the US, those semi-sweet ‘blush’ styles popular in the 70s still exist (and continue to make good revenue for Californian brands such as Gallo Family Vineyards), but the drier styles of wines made from pinot noir grapes grown in cooler regions, such as Oregon, make for a more sophisticated sip. 

Argentinian rosé made from malbec is also gaining in popularity thanks to its vibrant fruit flavour and refreshing acidity, often coupled with a Provençal-style hue. In Spain, rosé – or rosado as it is called there – is most commonly made from garnacha (grenache), but you’ll also find iterations made from bobal, monastrell and tempranillo, among others. Much of Italy’s rosé production is centred around the regions of Veneto, which is known for a pale rosé wine called chiaretto (coming from the Italian word chiaro, meaning light) and Abruzzo, which produces bright cherry-red coloured rosés made from montepulciano grapes. 

France leads the world’s production of rosé at around 6.5 million hectolitres, and 34% of global rosé consumption. The popular pale pink wines of Provence – most commonly made from a blend of grenache, cinsault, syrah and mourvèdre – account for 40% of France’s rosé AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) wines. And while 87% of the French adult population drink rosé wine, vins de Provence exports more than 55 million bottles of rosé each year.

So what is it about French rosé that we all enjoy so much? ‘It’s everything that wine should be: refreshing, easy to drink, simple to understand and fun,’ explains Georgina Haughton, head of wine buying at Sainsbury’s. ‘Colour continues to be a main factor in customer’s decision making, but I would really urge customers to think beyond pale rosé and try some of the darker-coloured pinks. These wines often pack even more berry fruit flavours in and have a little more structure to go with food.’

THE RISE OF ENGLISH ROSÉ

Here in Britain, alongside the popular production of sparkling wines, winemakers are carving out their own styles of rosé. Delicate and refreshing, they’re usually made from pinot noir and increasingly pinot meunier, as well as fruitier versions from Germanic varieties such as regent and rondo. There’s even a week dedicated to it. Great British Rosé Week co-founder Archie Patel, who plans to launch her own English rosé with business partner Allie Cope this year, says the appeal of rosé extends far beyond a drink made purely for summer sipping. ‘I love that rosé can immediately transport you to somewhere else: the memory of a holiday, being on the beach, or just shared moments with family and friends – it is so embedded with a way of life. It is no longer just a summer tipple, it can be a serious gastronomic wine, consumed year-round and enjoyed by all.’