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84-847: The entry-level Bordeaux AOC reds are fruity and easy-to-drink, and meant for early consumption rather than cellaring. More ambitious reds are usually sold as Bordeaux Supérieur AOC. Notable exceptions to the general rule of Bordeaux AOC as simpler wines are some dry white wines produced in Médoc and Sauternes , where the production of red and sweet wines dominate. In difference from most of Graves , these areas are not allowed to use any other designation than Bordeaux Blanc AOC for dry white wines. Thus, some very ambitious and expensive dry white wines, such as Château Margaux 's Pavillon Blanc and Château d'Yquem 's "Y" have to be classified as "simple" Bordeaux Blancs. All rosé and clairet wines are produced under regional appellations. The vineyard area devoted to

168-510: A color adjustment by blending in some finished red wine in order to reach the desired color. The aromas and flavor of rosés are primarily influenced by the particular grape varieties used to produce the wine, but the method of production also plays an important part. The light, fruity character of many rosés come from volatile thiols that are found as flavor precursors in the grape skins. The most prominent of these are 3-mercaptohexanol-1-ol and 3-mercaptohenyl acetate . These are extracted from

252-464: A dark rosé wine or a light-coloured red wine . As there is also a more commonly used Bordeaux rosé designation, Bordeaux clairet is not simply any rosé from Bordeaux. Bordeaux clairet wines are similar in colour to the wines which were shipped from Bordeaux to England during the Middle Ages , known as French Claret . These wines established the fame of Bordeaux as a wine-making region, and led to

336-610: A golden pink color. In Languedoc-Roussillon , the largest producer of rosé wine in France, rosés are made in many ways and from most common rosé wine grape varieties. This is due to the large use of the PGI appellation system . In the Jura wine region, the Arbois AOC makes very pale, pink red wines that are often mistaken for rosés from Pinot noir and the local Poulsard and Trousseau varieties. But

420-455: A long history of exporting dry rosé wines to the United States and United Kingdom. While often overshadowed by neighboring Tavel, some critics, such as wine expert Oz Clarke, describe them as having noticeable strawberry notes and being "breezier, more refreshing" than its more prominent neighbor. However, rosés usually account for less than a fifth of this region's yearly production. Here in

504-519: A slushy variation, frosé , was developed at the Bar Primi in New York. Rosés can be produced in a variety of ways with the most common method being early pressing of red grape varieties after a very short period, usually 12–24 hours, of skin-contact (maceration). During maceration, phenolics such as the anthocyanins and tannins that contribute to color as well as many flavor components are leached from

588-562: A specialty in the Veneto, are copper-colored rosés made from pink-skinned Pinot grigio grape that are allowed a period of extended maceration. The term Cerasuolo (meaning "cherry red") describes a vividly colored rosé and is seen frequently in the Abruzzo region where rosé made in the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo region from deeply pigmented Montepulciano grape are given a special designation within

672-442: A stabilized pigment. So producers wishing to make rosé work to not only limit the amount of anthocyanins extracted into the wine but also limit the wine's exposure to tannins (either by less maceration time, gentle pressing of the grapes or using only stainless tanks instead of oak) as well as protective anti- oxidative winemaking techniques that limit the development of acetaldehyde and other browning pigments that could add color to

756-458: A superior wine with a richer and more complex flavor. Yearly production: 489,230 hectolitres Surface : 4,725 hectares (47.25 km) Bordeaux clairet is a generic AOC for the Bordeaux defined as " clairet " . All other appellations in the Bordeaux region, including the most prestigious ones, are entitled to produce under this AOC. Bordeaux clairet is a wine which can either be described as

840-485: A vineyard that is planted more densely. There must be 4,500 plants per hectare with a distance of 2.2 meters between rows, compared to 4,000 plants per hectare with a distance of 2.5 meters between rows for regular Bordeaux. This higher density makes it harder for the plants to survive creating stronger deeper roots, and healthier vines for the ones that do. The regulations also stipulate a lower yield , about 10 percent lower per hectare, which allows each vine to maximize

924-452: A wide variety of grapes and can be found all around the globe. When rosé wine is the primary product, it is produced with the skin contact method. Black-skinned grapes are crushed and the skins are allowed to remain in contact with the juice for a short period, typically two to twenty hours. The grape must is then pressed and the skins discarded, rather than left in contact throughout fermentation (as with red wine making). The longer

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1008-454: A wine's aromas. The stability of these aromas is very dependent on the amount of anthocyanins and other phenolics that protect these compounds from oxidation. One of the reasons why rosés have a very limited shelf-life is because of their low phenolic levels due to the very limited skin contact and extraction time. Within a year of production, the level of 3-mercaptohexanol-1-ol in the wine has usually dropped to half its fermentation level, with

1092-455: A wine. While it can be used to decolorize a wine, often much more than just color is stripped from the wine which makes this method very rarely used in the production of quality rosés. With the exception of very few varieties, known as teinturiers , most wine grapes produce clear or colorless juice. This includes such well known red wine grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot noir . The color in red wine comes from phenolics in

1176-510: Is 55 hectoliter per hectare, and the alcohol level of the wine must be between 10 and 13 volume percent. Dry white Bordeaux may not have more than 4 grams per litre of residual sugar . For red wines, the most planted grape varietals are Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon . As most regional Bordeaux AOC wines are produced on the Right Bank, Cabernet Franc is often found in the blend. Winemakers are using more and more Malbec , but Petit Verdot

1260-400: Is a type of wine that incorporates some of the color from the grape skins, but not enough to qualify it as a red wine . It may be the oldest known type of wine, as it is the most straightforward to make with the skin contact method . The pink color can range from a pale " onionskin " orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grape varieties used and winemaking techniques. Usually,

1344-449: Is an appellation for sweet white wine covering the same area as Graves AOC. The wines are generally considered as simpler than those of Cérons AOC. About 500 hectares (1,200 acres) of vineyards were dedicated to the production of Graves Supérieures in 2004. This part of the Graves, located just south of the city of Bordeaux, is home to the first growth estate Château Haut-Brion, as well as all

1428-411: Is made in the commune of Sauternes, which is located in the southeast corner of the Graves region. The Graves subregion contains the following Appellations d'origine contrôlées (AOCs). Graves AOC is the basic appellation of the Graves subregion, and can be used for both red and dry white wine. 3,100 hectares (7,700 acres) of vineyards were dedicated to this appellation in 2004. Graves Superieur AOC

1512-462: Is not often seen. For white wines, Sauvignon blanc and Sémillon each represent 42% of the vineyard surface and Muscadelle 9%. The Bordeaux Supérieur appellation covers the same geographic area as Bordeaux AOC. However, the wine in this appellation is often produced by single parcels of older vines. Moreover, Bordeaux Supérieur wines must be aged for at least nine months before they can be sold. Just like regular Bordeaux these are blends, with

1596-445: Is often drier (though some styles can be sweet), with grapes that are limited to smaller harvests of no more than 40 hl/ha. Cabernet d'Anjou are usually noted for their high acidity levels that give these rosé the rather unusual capability of being able to age for a decade or more. For most of the 20th century, the sweeter Rosé d'Anjou was the most prominent Rosé but even as the trend of consumers moving to more drier versions of rosé,

1680-423: Is permitted in most AOC using the same varieties as the region's well known reds—Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot , Cabernet franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere . Like France, rosés are made throughout Italy with the style and grape varieties used changing depending on the region and local climate. The long history of Italian rosés, particularly in the warm southern part of the country, stem from difficulties in

1764-515: Is the only Bordeaux subregion which is famed for all three of Bordeaux' three main wine types—reds, dry whites and sweet wines—although red wines dominate the total production. Graves AOC is also the name of one Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) which covers most, but not all of the Graves subregion. The area encompasses villages including Sauternes , Pessac , Talence , Léognan , Martillac , Saint-Morillon , and Portets . The name Graves derives from its intensely gravelly soil. The soil

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1848-453: Is the practice of removing ("bleeding off") some of the juice from the must in order to more deeply concentrate the phenolics, color, and flavor of the red wine. It has a long history of use in the French wine regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy but wasn't always used for rosé production. For some red winemakers, the juice bleed off is simply poured down the drain or used as "topping wine" to fill

1932-465: Is the result of glaciers from the Ice Age , which also left white quartz deposits that can still be found in the soil of some of the top winemaking estates. The Graves is considered the birthplace of claret . Graves wine production for export dates back to Eleanor of Aquitaine , who married Henry II, King of England , creating a flourishing trade between both countries: wine versus coal and iron. In

2016-467: The ullage (the headspace of barrels and tanks) during storage. Its use in rosé production is sometimes considered an afterthought, as a way to increase cash-flow by producing a second wine to a primary red wine that can be released much sooner and available to market. While many wineries have been able to produce critically acclaimed rosé using the saignée method, its use has provoked criticism from wine personalities such as François Millo, president of

2100-606: The Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC , just across the Rhône River , the AOC has more than 950 ha (2347 acres) planted. The wines of Tavel are dominated by the southern wine grape Grenache which makes up to 60% of the blend. Under AOC laws the remaining blend must be at least 15% Cinsault with the remainder of the wine permitted to include Carignan, Syrah, Bourboulenc , Calitor , Mourvedre and Picpoul . While Tavel rosé can be made using

2184-460: The Middle Ages , the wines that were first exported to England were produced in this area. At that time, the Médoc subregion north of the city Bordeaux still consisted of marshland unsuitable for viticulture, while Graves were naturally better-drained. Château Pape Clément , founded at the turn of the 14th century by the future Pope Clement V , was the first named chateau in all of Bordeaux. In 1663, Samuel Pepys ' mention of Château Haut-Brion

2268-401: The (primarily English) practice of referring to Bordeaux as " claret ". They are refreshing wines, appreciated because they can be easily enjoyed with picnics or exotic food. Yearly production is 52,000 hectolitres from 925 hectares of vineyard surface. Maximum authorized yield is 55 hectolitres per hectare. The authorized grape varieties are the same as red Bordeaux AOC although Merlot is

2352-463: The 1953 classified Graves Growths, including Château La Mission Haut-Brion and Château Laville Haut-Brion . In addition to wine production, the area is known for its crops of pine trees , and vineyards are often separated by rows of forest trees. The soil of Pessac-Léognan is composed of gravel terraces with sediments from different geological eras . Pessac-Léognan received appellation status in 1987, and produces both red and white wines. All of

2436-533: The AOC production done by the local winemakers' co-operative . According to wine expert Karen MacNeil , the Tavel is "southern France's self-styled capital of rosé". This is due, in part, to its long history of rosé production and its proximity to the tourist-rich regions of southern France where, like Provençal rosé, Tavel is often served at beach-side cafes overlooking the Mediterranean. Located 10 miles southwest of

2520-402: The AOC still produces an estimated 18 million bottles of wine a year. In addition to Groslot, Gamay and Malbec are also permitted varieties in the wine. A larger Rosé de Loire appellation exist that includes wines made from Anjou, Saumur and Touraine . Cabernet grapes must account for at least 30% of the blend with Groslot, Pineau d'Aunis , Pinot noir and Gamay permitted to fill out

2604-528: The Blush name. Although "blush" originally referred to a color (pale pink), it now tends to indicate a relatively sweet pink wine, typically with 2.5% residual sugar ; in North America, dry pink wines are usually marketed as rosé but sometimes as blush. In Europe, almost all pink wines are referred to as rosé regardless of sugar levels, even semi-sweet ones from California. As the term rosé regained popularity in

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2688-479: The Provence Wine Council (CIVP) who claim that saignée method rosés are “not true rosés" because the bleeding process (which is not pressed with the must) is more of an afterthought. Unlike the maceration method which gives some, albeit very brief, time for the juice to be in contact with the skins vin gris are wines made from the immediate pressing of red skin grapes without any maceration time. Despite

2772-575: The US and dominate the Portuguese wine industry for most of the 20th century, but their popularity has declined in the recent years of the 21st century. While they still have a presence in the European and US markets, the trend towards traditional, drier rosés, as well as the development of American "blush" wines like White Zinfandel, have cut into their market shares. In the early 1970s, demand for white wine exceeded

2856-441: The US market, shares of wine labeled "blush" declined from 22% of all wines consumed in the US in 1997 to 15% in 2003. In the United States, a record 2005 California crop has resulted in an increased production and proliferation of varietals used for rosés, as winemakers chose to make rosé rather than leave their reds unsold. Rosé became a viral drink in 2015, with men who drink rosé being referred to as brosé. In summer 2016,

2940-400: The ability to change into three different forms—colorless, red and blue—depending on the pH / acidity levels of the solution they are in. At wine pH (typically 2.9-4.0), most of the grape anythocyanins are in the colorless form unless they have reacted with tannins or other molecules (such as tannins also extracted from the skin as well as grape seeds, stems and from oak wine barrels ) to form

3024-698: The availability of white wine grapes, so many California producers made "white" wine from red grapes, in a form of saignée production with minimal skin contact, the "whiter" the better. In 1975, Sutter Home's " White Zinfandel " wine experienced a stuck fermentation , a problem in which the yeast goes dormant, or in some cases dies off before all the sugar is turned to alcohol . Winemaker Bob Trinchero put it aside for two weeks, then upon tasting it he decided to sell this pinker, sweeter wine. In 1976, wine writer Jerry D. Mead visited Mill Creek Vineyards in Sonoma County , California. Charles Kreck had been one of

3108-496: The bunch, with pickers going through the vineyards several times between September and November to ensure the berries are picked at their optimal points. The wine is then fermented in small oak barrels, further adding to the cost. Even with half bottles of the First Growths priced at several hundred dollars, these wines still have difficulties turning a profit, and in the mid 20th century, a string of bad vintages drove many growers in

3192-476: The city of Nice in southeast Provence is Bellet AOC where the hot summers is tempered by the cooling sea coast breeze off the Mediterranean. Here rosé is made in roughly equal proportions with the red wines made from Braquet , Folle Noire , Grenache and Cinsault. While most of the southern Rhône Valley is dominated by red wines, rosé is the only permitted wine style made in the Tavel AOC with more than half of

3276-493: The commune of Barsac, such as Premiers Crus Château Climens and Château Coutet , are allowed to be labeled either with the commune name (as Barsac AOC) or with Sauternes. The intense sweetness is the result of the grapes being affected by Botrytis cinerea , a fungus commonly known as noble rot . In the autumn, the Ciron river produces mist that descends upon the area and persists until after dawn. These conditions are conducive to

3360-513: The crushed red skins on the bottom before the lightly colored free-run juice is then drained off, like a saignee, and the wine then fermented as normal. This method produces what Karen MacNeil describes as "rugged wines with robust, spicy berry flavor." Outside of Tavel, rosés are produced in some significant quantities in the Gigondas AOC on the eastern side of the Rhône valley. Here at least 15% of

3444-424: The darker rosés, in blind taste tests where color could not be visually discerned (such as using black wine glasses), often consumers preferred the lighter-colored rosés. For these reasons, many rosé winemakers are mindful of the color quality of their rosé and make winemaking decisions based on this factor. This includes the extent of maceration, whether or not to do a saignee from a darker red wine and even to do

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3528-402: The early days of winemaking to make dark, fully colored dry red wines without temperature controlled fermentation vessels. As the must macerated with the skins, the intense heat of the process would often kill the yeast resulting in a stuck fermentation and residual sugar in the remaining wine. Eventually Italian winemakers realized that if they pressed the wines early in the process, remaining

3612-532: The estates named in the 1959 Graves classification are located in this appellation. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant grape variety, followed by Merlot and the white wine grapes Sauvignon blanc and Sémillon. The white wines of this area are barrel fermented and aged on their lees . Sauternes is an appellation of Graves known for its intensely sweet, white, dessert wines such as the Premier Cru Supérieur classified Château d'Yquem . Wines produced in

3696-782: The finished wine. According to wine expert Karen MacNeil, some Champagne producers believe this second method adds more richness and age-ability to the wine. In the Aube department, a separate AOC for still rosé produced around the commune of Riceys was established for rosé produced by the saignee method from exclusively Pinot noir . Produced only during the warmest, ripest vintages of Champagne (with often less than 7500 bottles made on average), Rosé des Riceys can be difficult to find. According to wine expert Jancis Robinson, Rosé des Riceys can be some of France's "most serious rosés" while fellow wine expert Oz Clarke describes them as "oddball" wines that come across as full-bodied and nutty with

3780-480: The first to plant Cabernet Sauvignon vines in California, and offered Mead a wine made from Cabernet that was a pale pink and not yet named. Kreck would not call it "White Cabernet" as it was much darker in color than red grape " white " wines of the time, though not as dark as the rosés he had known. Mead jokingly suggested the name "Cabernet Blush"; later that evening, he phoned Kreck to say that he no longer thought

3864-417: The grape skins during maceration but are less likely to be extracted at temperatures below 20 °C (68 °F). As a result, producers doing a " cold soak " maceration (with much lower temperature) to limit microbial and oxidative activity may extract less of these compounds. During fermentation, other flavor components such as the esters phenethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate also form and contribute to

3948-419: The growth of the fungus, which desiccates the grape and concentrates the sugars inside. The three main grapes are of this are Sémillon, Sauvignon blanc and Muscadelle . Production costs for this area's botrytized wines are comparatively high. The evaporation and fungus affections produces low yields, one-fifth to one-sixth of that in other Bordeaux regions. The berries are normally harvested individually from

4032-469: The late 17th century, the Champenois (aided by the work of Dom Perignon ) learned how to better separate the skins from the must and produce truly white wine from red wine grapes. Even as Champenois moved towards producing sparkling wines, they continued to produce both sparkling and still rosés often by means of blending a small amount of red wine to "color up" an already-made white wine. The depth of color

4116-556: The most common of this AOC. Production requirements and statistics for the various regional AOCs are as follows: Graves (wine region) Graves ( French: [ɡʁav] , gravelly land ) is an important subregion of the Bordeaux wine region. Graves is situated on the left bank of the Garonne River, in the upstream part of the region, southeast of the city Bordeaux and stretches over 50 kilometres (31 mi). Graves

4200-559: The must is reduced, and the must involved in the maceration becomes more concentrated. The pink juice that is removed can be fermented separately to produce rosé. The simple mixing of red wine into white wine to impart color is uncommon and is discouraged in most wine growing regions, especially in France , where it is forbidden by law, except for Champagne . Even in Champagne, several high-end producers do not use this method but rather opt for

4284-462: The name Pessac-Léognan . This has had the effect of devaluing the name and price of wines simply labeled with the Graves appellation . As with Médoc , Cabernet Sauvignon is the predominant grape, but a somewhat greater proportion of Merlot is typically used in the blend, with smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc , Petit Verdot and Malbec . The dry white wines are a blend of Sauvignon blanc and Sémillon . A well-known sweet white dessert wine

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4368-610: The name vin gris , the resulting juice is actually not grey but rather a very pale pink that is usually much lighter than traditionally made rosés using the limited maceration and saignée methods. Under French wine laws , wines labelled gris de gris must only be made from lightly tinted grape varieties such as Cinsault , Gamay and Grenache gris . The style is a specialty of the Lorraine Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) Côtes de Toul made from Gamay and in Morocco where

4452-426: The name to be a joke. In 1978 Kreck trademarked the word "Blush". The name caught on as a marketing name for the semi-sweet wines from producers such as Sutter Home and Beringer. Today, Blush wine appears on wine lists more often as a category, rather than a specific wine. In 2010 Mill Creek produced a rosé wine for the first time in years, although Jeremy Kreck (Charles' grandson and current winemaker) chose not to use

4536-432: The nutrients received by the grapes that have not been pruned. The grapes must also be picked riper at harvest with higher natural sugar levels resulting in 10 percent natural alcohol level -- a slight bit higher than the 9.5 percent for regular Bordeaux. Bordeaux Supérieur can be found anywhere in Bordeaux, but is biased towards the area north of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol . The result of these differences usually creates

4620-446: The orange-pink wine is made from a blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon . Another method of producing rosé is to severely decolorize a red wine using absorbent charcoal such as activated carbon . This purer form of charcoal obtained by the dry distillation of carbon compounds (such as wood or peat ) has a high ratio of surface area to weight that adsorbs color compounds as well as other phenolics and colloids in

4704-480: The palest of coloring that could range from a "white-grey" to a light salmon. This color traditionally comes from the very brief skin contact of the black grapes (Pinot noir and Pinot Meunier ) during pressing that the Champagne producer decides not to remove by any decolorizing techniques. However, many modern rosé Champagnes are produced as regular Champagnes but are later "colored up" by adding red Pinot noir wines to

4788-571: The presence of 3-mercaptohenyl acetate undetectable in most wines. This is why most wine experts recommend that rosés be consumed as soon after release as possible. France is the top global producer of rosé, accounting for 35% of the world's supply. It also leads in consumption, with one-third of the wine consumed in the country being rosé. Many of the earliest red wines produced in such notable wine regions as Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne were "rosé-style" wines made from juice that had only brief periods of skin contact during winemaking. But even as

4872-437: The production of Bordeaux AOC wines is approximately 61,700 hectares (152,000 acres), of which 50,000 hectares (120,000 acres) are used for red wine and 6,740 hectares (16,700 acres) for white wine. Average yearly production is 3,300,000 hectolitres, corresponding to approximately 431 million 75 cl bottles, with 2,300,100 hectolitres of red wine and 304,000 hectolitres of white wine. The maximal authorized yield for Bordeaux AOC

4956-446: The reds being predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc , Petit Verdot , Malbec and even some Carmenere , such as at Château Damase . For the white wines, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon are favored with smaller amounts of Muscadelle , Ugni Blanc , and Sauvignon Gris . Under the strict guidelines of French appellation law for a Bordeaux to be classified as Supérieur it must come from

5040-539: The region also makes even paler actual rosés from the same grape varieties that are pressed after only a few hours of skin contact. In Beaujolais rosés are made from the Gamay grape using the same carbonic maceration techniques as the red wines except that the free-run juice that is released by the weight of the whole berry grapes in the tank is periodically drained off throughout the process to avoid extracting too much color and phenolics. In Bordeaux , rosé production

5124-416: The region out of business. Cérons AOC is an appellation for sweet white wines of similar style as Sauternes, but with no producers as noted as the classified Sauternes properties and therefore with lower prices. On the other hand, the wines are considered superior to those of Graves Supérieures AOC of which Cérons effectively is an enclave. Ros%C3%A9 wine A rosé ( French: [ʁoze] )

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5208-673: The rest of the blend. According to wine expert Jancis Robinson, the wines are always dry with a quality level that falls somewhere between Rosé d'Anjou and Cabernet d'Anjou. Wine expert Karen MacNeil describes well made examples of Rosé de Loire as being fruity with light cherry flavors and moderate acidity. Rosé Champagnes account for between 3-5% of Champagne's yearly production. These Champagnes are distinct from Blanc de noirs (white of blacks or white from black grapes) in that rosé Champagnes are often noticeably and intentionally colored, with hues that span from "baby pink" to copper salmon, while Blanc de noirs are white wines with only sometimes

5292-412: The resulting wines were often considered too harsh and less desirable. This sentiment lasted well into the Middle Ages , when the pale clarets from Bordeaux were starting to gain the world's attention. To the powerful English market, the most prized clarets were, according to wine historian Hugh Johnson , the vin d'une nuit or "wine of one night", which were pale-rosé colored wines made from juice that

5376-411: The saignee and skin-contact method, the tradition in the region is to do a type of co-ferment with both red and white grapes that combines elements of both methods. The grapes are loaded, whole clusters, into a tank all together where under the gravity of their own weight the grapes are gently pressed and the juice trickles down to the bottom. There the juice receives its period of brief skin contact with

5460-601: The saignée method. It is not known when the first wine labeled as a rosé was produced, but it is very likely that many of the earliest red wines made were closer in appearance to today's rosés than they would be to modern red wines. This is because many of the winemaking techniques used to make today's darker, more tannic red wines (such as extended maceration and harder pressing ) were not widely practised in ancient winemaking. Both red and white wine grapes were often pressed soon after harvest , (with very little maceration time) by hand, feet or even sack cloth, creating juice that

5544-693: The sandy soil on the banks of the Rhône, Grenache makes up to 40% of the blend with Cinsault, Mourvedre, Syrah and Carignan making up the remainder. Rosé making has a long history in the Loire valley, particularly in the Anjou wine region around the town of Angers where two AOCs, Rosé d'Anjou and Cabernet d'Anjou exist. The former, made from the Groslot (Grolleau) grapes that are often harvested to very high yields around 50 hl/ha, tends to be lighter and often sweet. The latter, made from Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon,

5628-481: The skin called anthocyanins that react with other components in wine (such as tannins , acetaldehyde and pyruvic acid ) to form polymeric pigments. The anthocyanins are extracted from the skin during the process of maceration which can last from a few hours in the case of some rosés (which usually only have 20–50 mg/L of anthocyanins) to several days in the case of most red wines (which often have in excess of 250 mg/L of anthocyanins). Anthocyanins have

5712-460: The skins are left in contact with the juice, the more intense the color of the final wine. When a winemaker desires to impart more tannin and color to red wine, some of the pink juice from the must can be removed at an early stage in what is known as the Saignée (from French bleeding) method. The red wine remaining in the vats is intensified as a result of the bleeding, because the volume of juice in

5796-603: The skins, seeds and any stems left in contact with the must. In addition to adding color and flavor, these phenolics also serve as antioxidants , protecting the wine from degradation of oxygen exposure. While red wines will often have maceration last several days to even several weeks, the very limited maceration of rosés means that these wines will have less stable color, potential flavor components and oxygen protection. This contributes to wines with shorter shelf-life that are meant to be consumed soon after release. The saignée ( French: [sɛɲe] ; French for "bleed") method

5880-423: The skins, they could complete the fermentation albeit with a lightly colored wine. The Italians have several terms for rosé style wines beginning with the term rosato that is a permitted wine style in several Denominazione di origine controllata . These wine tend to be very pale in color with slightly dark wines (but not dark enough to be considered a rosso or red wine) being labeled as Chiaretto . Ramato ,

5964-405: The sweet wines of the 1855 classification were from Sauternes , which is a part of Graves. A classification of Graves wine was carried out in 1953 for its red wine producers. Dry white wines were included in an updated 1959 classification. In 1987, the part of Graves containing most of the producers of its most expensive wines, closest to the city of Bordeaux itself, created a separate AOC under

6048-493: The towns of Nice and Marseille and is responsible for nearly 75% of all Provençal wine with rosés alone accounting for 80% of that total. Grenache is the dominant grape of the region, comprising at least 60% of the blend with Syrah , Cinsault , Mourvedre , Tibouren , Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon playing supporting roles. The Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence AOC is the second largest AOC in Provence, covering 50 communes in

6132-458: The trend in these regions evolved towards more modern ideas of "red wines", rosés still hold a prominent place in many of France's major wine regions. Today rosé is produced throughout France from the cooler climate rosé Champagnes and Loire Valley wines to the warm Mediterranean influence climates of Provence and the southern Rhone Valley. Rosés account for vast majority of Provence's wine production, ranging from half to almost two thirds of all

6216-535: The west and northwestern part of the region. Here rosé accounts for around 35% of the AOC's production with Grenache, Cinsault and Mourvedre being the dominant varieties and Counoise , Carignan, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon rounding out the blends. Located in the hilly central region of Provence, rosés account for almost two-thirds of the production in the Coteaux Varois AOC . Here the wines are blends of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre accounting for at least 80% of

6300-575: The wine is labelled rosé in French, Portuguese, and English-speaking countries, rosado in Spanish, or rosato in Italian. There are three major ways to produce rosé wine: skin contact, saignée , and blending . Rosé wines can be made still, semi-sparkling or sparkling and with a wide range of sweetness levels from highly dry Provençal rosé to sweet White Zinfandels and blushes. Rosé wines are made from

6384-517: The wine must be made from Syrah and Mourvedre with Grenache permitted to make up to 80% of the blend and Cinsault and Carignan playing minor roles. Next door to the south in the Vacqueyras AOC rosés only account for around 4% of the yearly production using the same grapes as Gigondas. Across the river from Châteauneuf-du-Pape just north of Tavel is the Lirac AOC which, like it southern neighbor, has

6468-449: The wine produced in the region. Over the period between 2010 and 2024, exports of rosé from Provence have surged by about 500%. The rosés of Provence are often known for their food and wine pairing matches with the local Mediterranean cuisine of the region, particularly the garlicky aioli sauces and tangy bouillabaisse stews that are the hallmark of Provençal cuisine . The large Cotes de Provence AOC includes 85 communes between

6552-464: The wine with Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignan permitted to fill in the remainder. The Bandol AOC in southwest Provence is dominated by the late-ripening Mourvedre grape which produces well in the limestone , silicon rich stony soils of the region. While the AOC produces mostly red wines, at least 33% of its yearly production is made up of rosé wines with Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Carignan playing supporting roles to Mourvedre. Around

6636-406: The wine. According to Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence in France, rosés in Provence display one of the different colors: melon ( cantaloupe ), peach , redcurrant , grapefruit , mango , mandarin . Many studies have shown that the color of wine influences consumers' perceptions about the wine. While these studies have shown that consumers tend to prefer on visual inspection

6720-496: The wines as they competed with the wines of Burgundy for the lucrative Flemish wine trade. In the 16th and 17th century, the region achieved some acclaim for their "white" wines made from Pinot noir grapes, but rather than actually being white, these wines were instead a pale "greyish pink" that was reminiscent of a " partridge 's eye" and earned the nickname Œil de Perdrix —a style of rosé still being produced in Switzerland . In

6804-638: Was allowed only a single night of skin contact. The darker wine produced from must that had longer skin contact were known as the vin vermeilh (or pinpin to the English) was considered to be of much lesser quality. Similarly, in the early history of Champagne , the wines produced from this region during the Middle Ages were nothing like the sparkling white wines associated with the region today . Instead they were pale red and even pinkish, with some Champenois winemakers using elderberries to add more red color to

6888-501: Was dependent on the amount red wine added, with the red wine having more influence on the resulting flavor of the wine if added in larger volumes. The history of rosé would take a dramatic turn following the conclusion of World War II when two Portuguese wine producer families both released sweet, slightly sparkling rosés to the European and American markets. These wines, Mateus and Lancers , would go on to set record sales in Europe and

6972-473: Was only lightly pigmented. Even after the development of newer, more efficient wine presses , many ancient and early winemakers still preferred making the lighter colored and fruitier style of wines. There was an understanding, as early as the time of the Ancient Greeks and Roman winemakers , that harder pressing and letting the juice "sit" for a period with the skins would make darker, heartier wines, but

7056-603: Was the first recorded mention of French claret in London. After Médoc was drained by the Dutch in mid-17th century, Médoc gradually took over the role as the source of the most prized Bordeaux wines. In the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 , only one Graves property, Château Haut-Brion, one of the four original First Growths , was included among the red wines, with all the rest being Médoc properties. All

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