CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD ROSÉ WINE
Rosé wine tastings are very interesting especially for the color of the wine, unlike the tastings of white and red wine in which we focus much less frequently on this aspect. It is no coincidence that we speak of infinite shades of rosé.
This characteristic of rosé is due to the production method and the kind of grapes.
The grape skin transmits the anthocyanins, that regulate the color of the wine (the longer is the maceration, more colorful will be the wine), as well as transmitting aromatic substances and polyphenols that contribute positively to the structure of the wine and to its aromas.
It is obvious that shorter is the maceration, less anthocyanins and aromatic substances and polyphenols will be transmitted to the wine and the color of the rosé will be pale, with a light structure and not particularly intense. However, the rosés obtained through short maceration or direct pressing retain their elegance and are well balanced. There are a lot of reasons to drink a good rosè!
But is it always like this?
Unfortunately not. Sometimes in pale and light rosé wines the pseudocaloric sensation given by alcohol is very evident. In this case the wine is not balanced and not pleasant.
Why does it happen?
Because in the skins there are the substances that balance the pseudocaloric sensation of alcohol, and if the maceration is too short or made with unsuitable grapes, these substances do not have the possibility of passing into the must and so balancing the alcohol in wine.
Do all rosés with short maceration have this particularity?
Obviously not, it always depends on the winemaker’s genius, on the grape variety, on the agronomic techniques. There are a lot of parameters that makes rosé a unique wine.
SO WHAT SHOULD A GOOD ROSÉ WINE BE LIKE?
A good rosé wine should have fruity notes and the pseudo-caloric sensation must be balanced by good acidity. You should be able to appreciate a slightly bitter note on the finish that helps refresh the palate. Slightly bitter, because if the note is excessively bitter it means that something didn’t work in the cellar, for example the pressing may have been very strong.
Is it possible to appreciate only the fruity notes in rosé wine?
No, rosé wine has its own identity and complexity. Different grapes and different winemaking methods can give different results!
How does a rosé wine taste?
Many rosés, especially the very cheap ones, are made to be drunk as soon as possible and may have carbon dioxide residues that make it fresher and more pleasant to drink in the short term. This is one of the reasons why myths about rosé wine are widespread. Rosé wines have a delicate structure but the parameter to pay attention to is always the balance between freshness, due to the presence of acids, and pseudo-caloric sensation due to the presence of alcohol . Over the years, rosé may lose its fresh note but not its balance. In fact, rosé is a wine suitable for aging.
Regardless of your favorite rosé, which can be sweet, sparkling or dry, a good rosé wine must be balanced and the aromas must be able to be appreciated by the consumer. There are many characteristics to consider: the choice of which rosé to drink is interesting precisely because of the incredible number of combinations between grape varieties and vinification methods.
A good rosé wine: practical test to appreciate it
Allow the rosé to warm up a little. Let it rest in the glass at room temperature. Is the aroma still fresh? Can you smell the fruity aroma? Is alcohol still balanced with acidity? If the answer is yes, you are tasting a good rosé wine.
If the rosé loses all its characteristics as soon as it heats up slightly, the advice I am giving you is to stop buying that wine.
