MontgomeryCountySpirits-2019-Q2 - 15

Rosé

A WINE STYLE COMES OF AGE

M

ost wine lovers have come to realize that today's

THE METHOD BEHIND THE GENIUS

rosé wine is not the sugar-bomb it used to be. No,

It's not like there's a new "rosé" grape, so just how do

it's all grown up now: drier, elegant and complex, drinkable

vintners create the wine?

and versatile in food pairings. And ever more popular!

In the most common method, maceration, the

The style's new personality makes it easy to "rosé all day,"

gentle pink color comes from the length of time the

as the saying goes. Those who haven't tried this wine

juice stays in contact with the skin after the grapes

recently will want to give it another chance.

are initially crushed and left to meld. If the juice and

Contemporary rosé wines present a delicate light

skin remain together for weeks or months, a rich red

pink or salmon color. Although some quite sweet

color results; so by removing the skins after only few

examples of the style still exist, most range
from subtly sweet to dry-check the label or
the Montgomery County DLC website. (Go to
www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dlcsearch/,
find a wine, and click on "wine details.")
Because rosés can be made with various
grape varietals (there is no "rosé" grape,
after all), aroma and flavor notes also vary.

Made mostly with red wine grapes, rosé
wines present flavors like light strawberry,
cherry, berry, red currant, lemon, green
apple, peach, citrus and pineapple.

Made mostly with red wine grapes, rosé
wines present flavors like light strawberry,
cherry, berry, red currant, lemon, green apple, peach,

hours, up to a couple of days, the juice retains just a

citrus and pineapple. If you're a fan of sparkling wine,

light pink color. Grape skins also contribute astringent

you can find sparkling rosé wines, too, including

tannins to wine, as they do in red wines, so separating

Champagne.

sooner also minimizes tannic notes.

Further increasing the appeal, rosés are typically

Similarly, in the saignée method, part of the juice

very reasonably priced, since they move from vine to

is removed early from the skin/juice blend.

bottle to shelf quicker than many other wine styles.

The juice that remains behind is more

If you enjoy wine with a meal, try pairing a rosé

concentrated in proportion to

with Mediterranean food, spicy Indian cuisine or Asian

the skin, making a richer,

dishes. Since a rosé lies between white and red, in

deeper red wine, while the

weight as well as color, it pairs with many of the same

removed juice becomes

foods that each of these do-in most preparations of

the rosé.

seafood, chicken, pork and vegetables, and in lighter
preparations of red meat.

Some vintners
blend red and white

Because a rosé is easy on the palate and best

wines together to

served chilled, its popularity spikes in the summer

create the pink rosé.

months. In addition to making a fine companion for

However, that prac-

your wine glass, it's a perfect base for frozen "frosé"

tice is prohibited in the

pops, spritzers and light sangrias.

Protected Designation of

SPRING / SUMMER 2019 15
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dlcsearch/
MontgomeryCountySpirits-2019-Q2

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