Trends in the wine industry fluctuate over time, but one of the biggest changes in the last 5 years has been the boom in popularity of Rosé wine. In fact, Rosé wine sales in France have eclipsed sales of white wine due to its popularity among the younger crowd.
In addition to its delicious flavor and cheaper price, younger wine drinkers have flocked to Rosé in part because most of the older generation would rather stick to the red and white wines that they are accustomed to. And, of course, young people gravitate towards things that their parents think are “uncool”. So naturally Rose was a great choice outside of the traditional red and white wines that older generations prefer.
No longer is it passé to sip on a pink wine, it’s now considered trendy. Bringing a great bottle or Rosé wine to a party, or sipping on a refreshing glass during the hot summer months can be a great way quench your thirst and look great while doing it.
But what exactly is Rosé wine and what makes it different from red and white wines?
What Is Rosé and How is it Made?
Rosé itself is actually produced in a similar manner to how red wine is produced, but the red grape skins are removed earlier during the fermentation process. Since there are no pink grapes, Rose’s pinkish hue come from red grapes that are in contact with the wine mixture for less time than red wine.
Sometimes Rosé wine can be made by adding a little bit of red wine to a vat of white wine, in order to give it that pinkish hue, but this is generally looked down upon in the wine making community.
Rose can come in different varietals, but it’s the removal of the grapes from the juice earlier in the process, that causes the different color and flavor.
Outside of that, the overall rose wine making process is similar to making red wine.
The Recent Popularity Growth of Rose
The birth of Rosé wine can be traced back to ancient Greece and Massalia where some of the first recorded wines were watered down versions of red and white wine blends. It was actually considered almost barbaric if you drank straight red wine without diluting it at all. But obviously things changed and red and white wines gained popularity throughout the years and rosé was left in the dust, until recently.
With a lot of the younger generations moving away from macro-brewed beers and looking for something with more flavor and appeal, rosé wine was a natural fit for this new generation of drinkers.
Wine drinking itself has gained in popularity over the years, and the light, refreshing taste of rose wine appealed to both younger wine drinkers and non-wine drinkers.
Around 2014, rosé wine began its resurgence in the United States. Wine regions of California had been noticing an influx of people asking about, and drinking, rosé wine and the national retail chains took notice. These chains began pushing the wine and marketing it as a new way to drink wine for young people, and it worked.
Less informed wine drinkers knew that they could just walk into a store and pick out a rosé wine without having to worry about whether they would enjoy the taste, since the flavor profiles are very similar and there’s less worry about what varietal to choose or what vintages they may like or not like.
Simplifying this choice appeals to non-wine drinkers who may not understand the differences in other wines.
In addition to that, the price point of most rose wines tends to be on the cheaper side. Premium rosé wines can usually be found for under $20 per bottle, which, when compared to premium red wines, makes the decision on what bottle to buy much easier.
And with the lighter, fruitier flavors associated with rosé wines, people that may not enjoy other types of wines, tend to be drawn to rose.
Combine those elements with the fact that social media influencers began to discover the wine and post about it to their millions of followers, and rosé wine began to shoot back into popular culture and has been a staple in the wine community ever since.
Is Rosé Sweet or Dry?
One of the biggest questions wine drinkers ask is whether a wine is sweet or dry. Different people have different preferences when it comes to the sweetness of their wines, so it’s natural to wonder whether rose is a sweet or a dry wine.
If you’re looking for more information on what makes a wine sweet or dry, we’ve put together an excellent guide on What Makes Wine Sweet or Dry.
When it comes to rosé wine, most tend to stay on the dry side, but you can find sweet rosé wines as well. The sweetness of a wine comes from the sugars left in the wine during the fermentation process. The more sugars left in the wine the sweeter it will be.
The fermentation process comes after the grape skins are removed from the wine juice, so the color profile of rosé really has nothing to do with whether or not the wine will be sweet or not.
In most cases rosé is going to have more tannins, leading to a dryer taste, but you can certainly find sweeter rosé wines as well.
Rosé wine continues to grow in popularity, especially in the United States, as people are looking for something different to drink. Between the taste, the cost, and the availability, rosé is the perfect choice for those looking for a refreshing drink to sip on during the summer months. Even if you’re not a big wine person, rosé may change your mind!