Types of Rosé Wine
18 de May, 2020The rose wine or pink wine is produced from red grapes, only in the production mode of white wine. What's that supposed to mean? That what distinguishes this type of wine is mainly the decision made by the winemaker at the moment the red grapes arrive at the cellar. But before you discover the various types of rosé wines that exist, learn how these wines came about.
The origin of rosé or pink wine is perpetually linked to the origin of the wine production in Europe. In 600 BC, a group of Greek merchants set off from the town of Foça (carrying wine in their luggage!) looking for better land to settle in. When they arrived in the Provence region – specifically the bay of Marseilles – they decided to settle there and began to import vines to produce wine, which they did in the most basic way possible.
They crushed the grapes to get their juice and let it ferment. It was in this way that they produced, from this process, the claret wines, later nicknamed by the Romans "Vinum Clarum".
Rosé or pink wines were born from this mode of production, which is still used today, although with two differences: grapes used in the production of rosé or pink wines are only paints (with the exception of rosé or pink wines from the Champagne region) and now we take advantage of technology, which naturally came to change a lot.
Three ways of producing rosé or pink wines
Direct pressing
In which the red grapes when they arrive at the cellar are immediately crushed (pressed) to obtain the juice or must as pale as possible. Since the color of the grapes is on the skin or film, the contact time between the pulp and the skin determines the intensity of the color of rosé or pink wine.
Short maceration (tanning)
Before being pressed, the red grapes first spend a few hours in a tank where the juice or must remains in contact with the skins or skins, and only after this time has elapsed do they go to the press to be crushed and obtain the must with a more or less intense color, depending on the maceration or tanning time.
Sangria from the French "Saigné
In this case the rosé wine is a by-product of red wine, because the first juice or must that runs during the first hours of maceration (tanning) of the red wine is removed, i.e., the sangria is done from the tank where the red grapes are, and this practice has the purpose of concentrating the color, structure and flavor of the red wine.
Depending on the different ways of producing rosé or pink wine, there are also a number of variations within them. Simplifying, we can frame the rosé or pink wines in three large families where the color variation in its different intensities has a preponderant importance.
Dry Rosé Wine
Dry rosé wine, which can fall into the category of fruity and light rosé wine, is characterized by its citrus aromas and crunchy red fruits, for the sensation of freshness that it leaves and for its simple structure. They are usually consumed young and pale pink in color. We have as the best example of this style of dry rosé wine, those from the French region Provence. In Portugal, the best examples of dry rosé wine come from the cooler regions, whether they are maritime - like the Lisbon region or the Vinhos Verdes region - or whether they are mountain regions with altitudes above 500 meters, like the Douro or Beira Interior regions.
Soft Rosé Wine
The soft rosé wine, which can fall into the category of fruity rosé wine and medium-bodied, is characterized by usually having a more intense color and a medium body, with a rich nose dominated by aromas of riper fruits. They are tasty wines that are accessible to everyone. They are usually consumed young and salmon pink in color. A good example are the rosé wines from the Navarra region in Spain. In Portugal the best examples of soft rosé wine come from warmer regions, such as Tejo and Alentejo, but also from regions with a milder maritime influence, such as the Setubal Peninsula and Algarve regions.
Sweet Rosé Wine
Sweet rosé wine, which can fall into the category of sweet and fruity rosé wineis characterized by usually having a residual sugar content and is usually semi-dry or semi-sweet. They are wines characterized by notes of ripe fruit, are very smooth and the color and intensity can vary greatly, from salmon pink to ruby pink.
O vinho rosé doce fica com açúcar residual quando não se permite que a fermentação acabe e os açúcares do sumo ou mosto não sejam completamente fermentados ou pela adição de sumo ou mosto de uvas não fermentado. Há exemplos de vinho rosé doce por todo o mundo, sendo o mais conhecido o nosso Mateus Rosé ou o White Zinfandel produzido pelas grandes adegas dos Estados Unidos da América.
Each wine has its own personality and rosé wine has its own magic that conquers more and more oenophiles and connoisseurs. If you don't usually opt for these wines, the next time you are asked 'White or red?' try answering 'Rosé wine!
Hélder Cunha
My life is the wine
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