Rosé rules. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
Rosé wines are some of the most undervalued wines in the world. There are no particular reasons for this other than perhaps ignorance and misunderstanding them.
In Asia, rosé wines are considered bad because “they are made from the bad red and white wines mixed together,” therefore it is a quality issue for Asians. In some Western countries, they’re considered a women’s drink, so men will not drink it in order to not offend their masculinity.
Even some critics claim that rosé wines lack complexity and depth. Do they? The critics maybe, the wines definitely not.
Let’s start at the beginning: rosé wines are not made with leftover wines that no one wants, nor do they use low-quality wines to make them.
Regardless of the different methods used to make rosé, bear in mind that it is more costly than making white wine. The color of rosé wines, similar to the color in red wines, comes from the grapes’ skins; in case you didn’t know the juice of the grapes, whether they’re white or red, is white. Women may like rosé wines, and so do I, and so will most people who know about wine.
You will not find the heavy flavors of long-aged reds, but will enjoy the freshness, the good acidity, the different layers and levels of complexity, as well as a good length. Although most rosé wines work perfectly on their own as an aperitif, rosé wines can be a great complement to many dishes, meat included. Depending on the grapes used to make the rosé, the vinification method and the wine style, you may have wines as light and delicate as a gris-blanc, which is almost as transparent as water; or you may go for a traditional Navarra rosé, which is almost as dark as red wine.
It is not common for rosé wines to be aged in oak, but it can happen in order to gain complexity, however, they tend to lose their freshness, which is one of the best attributes of rosé wines. As for grapes used to make them, there are many, but perhaps Grenache and Cinsault are the most common ones.
So, what makes a good rosé wine good? More or less the same that makes a good red wine: good grapes, good terroir, good winemaker and knowing how to keep it and serve it.
