How is rosé made? (A cheat sheet)
We all know rosé gets its color from red grape skins, right?
Outside of that, there are a few main processes that give wines that pink color…
⚡️DIRECT PRESS
Black grapes are crushed and PRESSED IMMEDIATELY just like white wine! This extracts as little color as possible from the grapes (and little tannin). These wines are the palest and most delicate examples. …Water-like color!
💫 SHORT MACERATION
Black grapes are crushed and have A LITTLE TIME TO MACERATE, and gain a little flavor and some color! This maceration can extend into fermentation. The free-run juice is drained off the skins eventually and continues to ferment in cooler temps, like white wine!
….SAIGNEE (BLEEDING)
This is in the same category as short maceration, but TRUE Saignée production is actually a by-product of making red wine!
Black grapes are used to make red wine, which macerate followed by a small portion of THE RED WINE JUICE REMOVED “bled off” early in fermentation. The removed juice is then fermented in a white wine style, but it has a lot more concentration of flavor and color since it began the red winemaking process.
***This technique dates back centuries before rosé was even invented. Because it’s such a buzz word with rosé now, you’ll often find it on the labels of rosé made using short maceration! True styles are likely to be richer and sometimes slightly darker.
🥄 BLENDING
A small amount of already fermented RED WINE IS ADDED TO WHITE WINE. This is not permitted in the EU except for rose Champagne (hello consistency)!
Many new world regions will do this and wines can be lighter or darker in color!
This question showed up in one of my recent past exams 😉
Oh and since hit on marketing, here are a few other terms you might see on a label:
Vin Gris can be shown on a French label illuding to a VERY LIGHT style (translates to gray wine), it’s basically Direct Press method and made from more “delicate” varieties, but it’s not regulated.
Gris de Gris is similar to Vin Gris, but has to be made from lightly tinted varieties with the gris mutation (ex: Pinot Gris, Grenach Gris, etc.)
A Certified Sommelier and Certified Specialist of Wine with a passion for everything wine + beverage!
