National Rosé Day #NationalRoséDay
Celebrated on the 2nd Saturday in June, it was founded by Bodvár, the Swedish Rosé house, in 2014.
This is not to be confused with International Rosé Day, which comes on June 28th this year (the 4th Friday in June).
Rosé is more than just Pink!
1st, a bit of a rant. Rosé, more than other wines, gets lumped into a color category. I mean, yes, we talk about red wines and white wines, but the conversation then often runs to varieties. We so rarely discuss varieties in rosé. So today, to celebrate, let’s talk about all the different rosés.
Methods of Making Rosé
First, what is rosé? It is typically a red wine made in the style of a white wine. That means it is quickly and gently pressed off of its skin to only take on a light pink color. This is known as the “Direct Press” method.
There is another method called the “saignee” method. Saignee means blood in French; the idea is to bleed wine off a red wine. This does a couple of things. It gives you a rosé wine, and it concentrates your red wine. Kinda a two-for-one!
There is one more method of making rosé, which is one often used for sparkling wine. In this method, you add a bit of red wine to the white wine to give the pink color and a bit of flavor.
Beyond that, the color can be affected by how long the juice stays on the skin! Just a little gets you a ballet slipper pink. A bit more gives you a deeper shade of rose. And that color can, but does not always, mean flavor! Remember, grape skins can provide both color and flavor, it depends on the variety of grape.
More than just pink, think about the variety of grape!
So, back to the discussion on varieties! Pay attention to the varieties and see what differences you find! Grenache rosé is popular with notes of strawberries and watermelon. Want something a bit moodier? Try a Mourvèdre rosé, it will have deeper richness and tannins. A rosé of Sangiovese can have a bit of savoriness.
Rosé Pairings
What to pair? Well, that’s the beauty. Rosé can be light enough to pair with delicate dishes, and deeper, richer versions can pair with red meats! But my go-to for Rosé is Pink with Pink! Try salmon, ham, prosciutto, shrimp, lobster…all are terrific with rosé!
Where are they making rosé? Well, just about anywhere they are making wine! We all love the freshness of pink in the warm weather.
Get out and find a rosé in Wine Country
Here’s a thought. Rather than reaching for that bottle at the store, get out there! Take a trip to wine country. All 50 states have wineries if you are in the US! Okay, not every state has as many as California, but they all have wineries, which means you are never far from a fresh bottle of rosé from a local winery! Do It!
(Oh, and then get ready to celebrate later this month with more rosé from around the globe! Rose is so nice we ought to celebrate it twice!)
More on Rosé from Crushed Grape Chronicles!
- Under the Radar Italian Rosé to indulge in before Summer’s End
- Celebrating New Zealand National Rosé Day
- Rose Shaped Pasta and a Rosé
- Vittoriale Deglis Italiana – The Park, the Poet or the Madman and the Rosé
- Delphine Vesselle and Domaine Jean Vesselle- Rose de Saignee Brut from Bouzy
- Rosé Season is here, but don’t take that Rosé for Granted
Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine and WSET 3 Certified. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.
When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.
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