Some say that rosé wine is not wine. Either they are “summer patio” wines or consider them to be “just for ladies”. From my side, as a woman, I am grateful for associating us with such daring wines!
And that's exactly what rosé wines are today. Bold because they claim their place at the table, among white and red wines.
In the past, rosé wines were lighter wines with little aroma or rich taste. They had a sweet and almost always effervescent flavor, like that of a strawberry candy and they usually contained carbon dioxide, in other words they were fizzy.
Most wines today present good color, aroma and flavor but are typically dry and contain no bubbles.
Most Portuguese wine producers do have rosé wines in their portfolio; they say it's a trend now.
In fact, rosé wine does not fit into a single category, or style, there is even rosé Port today!
Gentlemen who follow my blog, have read my e-book or taken my online wine courses, let go of preconceived ideas and drink Rosé wine!
Rosé wines are perfect for hot days, and should be drunk slightly chilled 42º F to 48º F (6-9.ºC). They also go well with the usual meals or snacks at this time of year, as they are very easy to marry, gastronomically speaking.
How is rosé wine made?
It's a wine that is defined by the winemaking process and not by the type of grape. It's made from red grapes and by different methods.
The most usual one starts with a maceration of a few hours or days of the grape juice with the skins (where the coloring matter is). After separating the solid and liquid parts, fermentation begins.
Let go of your preconceived ideas and sip on rosé wine this summer!
Here are five reasons to do so...
1) Rosé wines are perfect for hot days, as they should be drunk slightly chilled (6-9.ºC). Serves in a white wine glass.
2) Rosé wines can be easily paired with traditional summer snacks and foods.
A rosé wine can be accompanied by Al Ajillo prawns, or grilled sardines or Carpaccio. A simple tuna salad with crunchy lettuce and a touch of mayonnaise wins the admiration of a dry rosé every time!
If there's a pizza cooking in your oven, especially of the vegetarian kind, steer away from a dry rosé.
And if you want to venture into Indian, Thai or Mexican cuisine, a rosé wine with evident residual sugar, that is, sweet, is just as good.
3) A majority of them have attractive prices.
4) Many rosé wines today are sophisticated wines, sometimes single grape, of renowned varieties, such as Touriga Nacional.
But yes, it's true, the “traditional” rosé, sweet and sparkling wine still exists, and thankfully, these are the ones that usually go very well with any type of spicy dish.
The last matching tip for today… the color rule. Everything that is pink in color, like lobster, shrimp, ham, pork goes well with a glass of rosé wine.
The richness of color in a rosé wine, or the lack of it, is not a characteristic that guarantees the dry taste. Once again, I call rosé wines bold, because lacking that type of information on the label, we have no choice but to taste them.
Rosé wines are fun and uncomplicated. They add “color” to a party.
They are versatile and perfectly accompany a wide range of dishes, with emphasis on Mediterranean cuisine. They combine well with garlic, olive oil and aromatics, present in our cuisine, and also with seafood and vegetables.
Despite a slight decline of 1% in 2019, world consumption of rosé wine is generally on the rise.
In 2019, the consumption of rosé totaled 23.5 million hectoliters, that is, 23% more than consumption in 2002. The production of rosé wine not every year is in line with demand and also in 2019, the total production of rosé wine was not enough, after the positive growth of 2018.
The same had already happened in 2017, mainly due to the fall in production in France.
France is by far the leader in Rosé wine production and has already confirmed itself as a producer and exporter of premium rosés, with an average price of €3.75 per 750 ml bottle in 2019. In fact, in 2020, the most consumed foreign wine in France was (the sound of drums…) our Portuguese Mateus Rosé.
A fun fact about rosé ... did you know that: rosé is certainly the most 'Instagramable' summer drink. Nearly 8 million Instagram photos are tagged with the hashtag - #rosé.
However, I had promised “5 reasons” to drink rosé and the fifth is still missing, and this reason is really bold…
5) Use rosé wine in cocktails.
Yeah! Why not?
Rosé wines with their fresh red fruit flavors are perfect to combine with spirits (vodka, gin, rum, tequila) and almost any other additional cocktail ingredient, from fruits, to aromatic herbs and spices.
Cocktails are supposed to be fun, just like wine. So why not join both?
I share the Colleen Graham recipe for a sangria, to make in a jar and share with friends at the table or poolside.
Sangria Rosé with Raspberries and Lemon
(8 servings)
1 bottle of rosé wine
360ml lemonade
250g raspberries
2 lemons
360ml Ginger Ale
Simple syrup
Raspberries and lemon slices for decoration
The day before, mix the lemonade with the rosé wine in a jar. Add the sliced raspberries and lemons. Sweeten to taste.
Let it rest in the fridge.
When serving, add the Ginger Ale.
In each glass place a slice of lemon and some raspberries.
My best recommendation (apart from always keeping it fresh) is to prepare two jars the day before.
In addition to being colorful, this sangria is refreshing with a sweet touch that everyone will like and want to repeat, and it is very easy to make.
How are you going to celebrate the summer of 2021? Will it be with a glass of rosé wine or a glass of sangria?
