{"id":304,"date":"2015-06-03T09:58:11","date_gmt":"2015-06-03T16:58:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.breakaway-tours.com\/blog\/?p=304"},"modified":"2015-11-16T13:20:17","modified_gmt":"2015-11-16T21:20:17","slug":"a-rose-by-any-other-name","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.breakaway-tours.com\/blog\/a-rose-by-any-other-name\/","title":{"rendered":"A Ros\u00e9 by any Other Name…"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"rose2\"<\/a> Ros\u00e9\u00a0wine.<\/h2>\n

Take it on a picnic. Pair it with your favorite dish. Share with friends…or keep it all for yourself. I’m loving the amazing ros\u00e9s coming out of the Central Coast Wine Regions. But what makes a ros\u00e9\u00a0a ros\u00e9? Is it a red wine or a white? And how does it get that beautiful color?<\/p>\n

A ros\u00e9<\/b> (from French ros\u00e9<\/i>;\u00a0 rosado<\/i> in Portugal and Spanish-speaking\u00a0countries; rosato<\/i> in Italy) is a type of wine\u00a0made from red grape varietals 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 orange to a\u00a0deeper near-purple, depending on the\u00a0grapes\u00a0used and\u00a0winemaking techniques. There are three major ways to produce ros\u00e9 wine: skin contact, saign\u00e9e (pronounced san-yay)\u00a0and blending. Ros\u00e9 wines can be made still,\u00a0semi-sparkling or\u00a0sparkling and with a wide range of\u00a0sweetness levels\u00a0from bone-dry to sweet. Ros\u00e9 wines are made from a wide variety of grapes and can be found all around the globe. Here on the Central Coast winemakers favor Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Grenache for their ros\u00e9s, but I’ve seen Zinfandel,\u00a0Sangiovese and even Malbec ros\u00e9s. For some local favorites check out our local Edible SLO Magazine<\/a> for their top picks. \u00a0The possibilities are endless!<\/p>\n

When\u00a0a winemaker sets out\u00a0with the goal to\u00a0make a Ros\u00e9\u00a0it is usually produced with the skin contact method. Black-skinned grapes are crushed and the skins are allowed to remain\u00a0in contact with the juice\u00a0for a short period,\u00a0usually one to three days. The must (skins and juice)\u00a0is then pressed, and the skins are discarded rather than left in contact throughout\u00a0fermentation, as is common in red wine making. The final color of the Ros\u00e9 depend on how long the juice has contact with the skins. Longer contact = deeper color.<\/p>\n

Saign\u00e9e<\/em> occurs when a winemaker uses the pink juice removed from red wine during the winemaking process. In French Saign\u00e9e<\/em> means ‘to bleed’. To impart more tannin and color to a red wine, winemakers remove (or bleed off) some of the pink juice from the must as a way of concentrating the red wine. The red wine remaining in the vats is intensified as a result of the bleeding, because the volume of juice in 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 Ros\u00e9.<\/p>\n

In other parts of the world, blending, the simple mixing of red wine to a white to impart color, is uncommon. This method is discouraged in most wine \"rose1\"<\/a>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 the\u00a0Saign\u00e9e<\/em> method.<\/p>\n

So, now you’re officially versed in the basics of ros\u00e9! The next time you’re in your favorite tasting room sampling a glass o’ the pink, ask\u00a0your pourer\u00a0whether their winemaker prefers the skin contact method, or if its a Saign\u00e9e<\/em> you’re sipping.\u00a0 You will learnn a lot about winemaking techniques and look super savvy in front of your friends!<\/p>\n

I recommend swinging by Beckmen Vineyards<\/a>\u00a0in Santa Ynez for their\u00a0 2014 Grenache\u00a0Ros\u00e9\u00a0$25,\u00a0Claiborne & Churchill Winery<\/a>\u00a0in Edna Valley for their 2012 Cuvee Elizabeth Ros\u00e9 $24\u00a0(I actually bribe my sister with bottles of this wine) or Tablas Creek Winery<\/a>\u00a0in Paso Robles for their 2014 Dianthus\u00a0Ros\u00e9 $27.<\/p>\n

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