Rose

[ruben]

What's Rose all about?

I thought it was all blush, and heard it spoken of as something drunk only by book clubs and homosexuals.

Recently I've seen people whose tastes in wine I respect drinking it.

 

[kwilkinson]

Rose is basically any wine where the juice is left in contact with the skin long enough to develop some red color without becoming completely red. All grape juice is the same basic color, whether the grapes are green (white) or black/purple (red). However, in the production of red wines, the skins are left in contact with the juice, and the color (among other things) are leeched into the wine. So it follows that if one were to leave the skins in contact with the juice for less time, there would be less extraction of color and tannin.

Now, Rose can also categorize a style of champagne in which the above method takes place, and then the wine is vinified just as other champagne. For rose champagne, there are a lot of laws to be followed. Rose champagne is a very great product, and very well respected (when made right). However, rose does not always have to be sparkling. In a very general way of speaking, European rose is typically dry while American rose is usually sweet (these would be the blush wines you refer to).

Typically, Euro (or Old World) rose is lighter in style and easily drinkable. Pairs well with food. This is why something like Tempier Bandol Rose is quite well respect. However, American (New World) rose is usually all thrown into the bucket of "White Zinfandel" and gets little to no respect. But there are still roses that are produced in the new world that are respectable.

The thing is that there is a huge divide between the dryer, lighter, style of rose that is respected and the sickly sweet stuff that is the same style of white zinfandel. Regardless of whether one enjoys it or not, rose can range in many styles other than blush. And Rose champagne is some of my favorite. Especially Jean Vesselle Brut Rose de Saignee Nonvintage.

 

[gomestar]

fine wisdom would say the color comes from the skins being in contact with the wine long enough to develop the color - in reality much of this now comes down to producers adding some red wine to their white wine "base". I think this is mostly at the low end, while the skin contact method is more typical at the high. I could be wrong, though.

I'm a big rose fan, but as Kyle mentions, I like actual rose and not that White Zinfandel junk that people serve with ice cubes. That gives good rose a poor name and an undeserved reputation.

Not that many dismiss Dom Perignon Rose as trash...

 

[OakCreekHitter]

Try the Ampelos Rose's

 

[gdl203]

There's this saying in France of never drinking rosÃ

indoors. It's a bit flippant but I think it conveys well the idea of it being a casual, summer al fresco dining wine.

 

[Piobaire]

Guiz, skin contact, blend, and saingnee. Ya'll forgot the third way.

 

[kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Guiz, skin contact, blend, and saingnee. Ya'll forgot the third way.

The only specific wine I mentioned was saignee. Does that count?

 

[gomestar]

Originally Posted by gdl203

There's this saying in France of never drinking rosÃ

indoors. It's a bit flippant but I think it conveys well the idea of it being a casual, summer al fresco dining wine.

I don't have an outdoors to drink at.

No rosÃ

for me.

 

[foodguy]

i drink a sh*tload of roses during the summer. this year i went through a couple cases of abel clement (really nice drinker available from corti brothers in sacramento at <$10 a bottle), and a half-case of my favorite, Sinskey (incredibly elegant, about $20 a bottle and tough to find).

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

The only specific wine I mentioned was saignee. Does that count?

No. Sorry, judge's decision. Tough call.

 

[kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

No. Sorry, judge's decision. Tough call.

I appeal this decision.

 

[ruben]

Originally Posted by gdl203

There's this saying in France of never drinking rosÃ

indoors. It's a bit flippant but I think it conveys well the idea of it being a casual, summer al fresco dining wine.

I like this.

thanks for the replies all, esp. kwilkinson.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

I appeal this decision.

Appeal deny. Judge's rule, you might have inadvertently mentioned a wine made this way but failed to place this method in your list.

FWIW, I think the judge is being a prick and you deserve the win here.

 

[foodguy]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Appeal deny. Judge's rule, you might have inadvertently mentioned a wine made this way but failed to place this method in your list.

FWIW, I think the judge is being a prick and you deserve the win here.

judge is getting a little high-handed now that he's aiming for the court of sommeliers.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by foodguy

judge is getting a little high-handed now that he's aiming for the court of sommeliers.

Man, I am so stoked for that. Two days of nothing but wine theory, tasting, service, etc.

I have quite a wine weekend planned for this Friday and Saturday too.