Top 5 Rosè Wines for Valentine’s Day
Rosè wines are such an interesting topic because there are so many different styles out there! With Rosè made in almost every major wine region, the countless options can be overwhelming at times. I often get asked “How are Rosè wines made? Are there rosè grapes? Or are they made by mixing red and white wine?”
The short answer is that rosè wines are made from red grapes. The winemaker limits the amount of time the grape juice is in contact with its skins during the crushing process, so that the juice extracts minimal color and looks more pinkish than red. This also means that the juice extracts less flavor from the skins, so these wines tend to be much lighter and fruitier than the red wines made from the same grape varietals. There are a wide range of flavors and styles of rosè wine because there are countless red grape varietals used to make rosès - Pinot Noir, Cinsault, Mourvedre, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah….the list goes on and on! Rosès can be a single grape varietal or a blend of multiple varietals. There are no requirements around the specific grapes that must be used or how the wines are made, so they are truly different depending on where in the world they are from and the specific winemaker who made them. It is important to note that in some rosè regions, like Provence (FR), there are some white grapes that are added to the blend to soften the red grapes. This is not very common as most rosès around the world are made exclusively from red grapes, but I think it’s worth mentioning!
If you want to learn more about rosè, be sure to listen to my entire podcast episode, The Wine CEO Podcast Episode #14, at the link below!
Rosès are perfect to enjoy all year long, but I have found that there is a specific uptick in rosè interest around Valentine’s Day. Everyone loves to drink something pink around this holiday, so I’ve rounded up my top 5 picks for this year and included pictures of each bottle to make it a little easier when you’re shopping for your sweetheart or galentine’s day party!
Whether you are in a relationship, or flying solo this February, I hope you enjoy the month with some delicious rosè wine and treat yourself to one of the delicious wines above! Cheers!