If your favorite summer sipper leads to you making plans like Rosé all day + fill in the blank, and if you want to get the most out of your Rosé all day, then this is the piece for you! We’ve put together some of the best rosé wines as well as tips on how to pick the perfect rosé.
What is rosé wine?
Rosé is simply a light version of red wine. Red wine gets its color from fermenting the white juice with red-skinned grapes to get a red color, and rosé is fermented the same way but for a shorter period of time.
How do I pick a good rosé wine?
There are multiple things to look for when shopping for a good rosé wine, but these 4 tips should help you narrow down your options and help you bring home a great one.
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Trusted Region
Any easy way to choose a rosé is to stick with tried-and-true wine regions like Provence, California, Bordeaux, Northern Spain, and Oregon. If that doesn’t help you decide, then just think about the reds you like as almost every red wine-producing region produces rosé wine and if like their reds you’ll probably going to enjoy their rosé.
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Vintage
Rosé is a seasonal wine and known for its freshness, which is why Rosé wine vintage is an important thing to pay attention to. You should look for a recent vintage and avoid anything older than three years as Rosés are typically recommended to be enjoyed within a year or two from their vintage date.
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Sweet or Dry
To determine if it’s sweet or dry just look for the alcohol by volume (ABV) on the label. Anything higher than 11 percent will be dry. If you like sweet wines, the lower the alcohol, the sweeter the rosé. Old-world regions (Italy, Spain, France) tend to be crisp and tart compared to new-world regions (U.S., South America, Australia), which are typically fruitier and sweeter.
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Color + Occasion
A light color will come from a light and not very tannic wine, with a taste of exotic fruits, and a floral mouthfeel. This is the case for most rosé wines of Provence. A dark color comes from a wine with a pronounced and strong taste on the palate, with blackcurrant, red fruit, and strawberry flavors.
As far as occasion being linked to color – if you’re looking for an aperitif or poolside sipper, you’ll want a lighter colored rosé with lower alcohol. If you’re planning your rosé around a meal, then a darker color will have the stronger flavors to stand up to a hearty dish.
Rosé Recommendations
Hampton Water Rosé
This French rosé wine is fresh and lively, with soft notes of strawberry, and citrus; a beautiful, long finish is a result of its careful and meticulous aging in new French Oak barrels.
Pulenta Estate La Flor Rosé Malbec
Pulenta’s Malbec Rosé has a soft pink to vivid purple hue, and an aroma marked with fruit and floral intensity. Delicate on the palate, with soft expressions of roses, raspberries and strawberries, expressing a fresh and balanced finish.
Borsao Rosé
This Spanish rosé is made from 100% Garnacha and features a strong aroma of berries and white flowers. Very young and fresh in the mouth, well balanced with its acidity, rich in floral nuances and spices. Hints of tangerine and Asian pear permeate this wine.
Crafters Union Rosé
This dry California rosé is crisp and fresh with enticing aromas and flavors of fresh-cut flowers, strawberries, watermelon, and white peaches.
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