summer: 'tis the season for rosé

summer: ‘tis the season for rosé!

There's nothing more refreshing and appropriate for summer time than a cool glass of rosé. We have several delicious rosés in all hues of pink, still, sparkling, by the bottle and by the glass here at the Barrel Room.  

Contrary to popular belief, rosé wine is not made by mixing red and white wines (with the exception of rosé Champagne, but I’ll get to that later).  Although some regions allow some white grapes in rosé wine, it is produced primarily from light skin contact with red grapes.

Rosé is made in a wide range of colors, from a pale salmon to a dark fuchsia. This depends on the grapes used and the wine making techniques.

The best known rosés hail from southern France, particularly Provence.  When I visited Provence, rosé was most definitely the wine of choice on those sweltering Provençal summer days. At their best, rosés are vivacious, full of fruit, soft and aromatic, yet crisp on the finish. 

We have a fantastic Provençal rosé by the glass from Domaine Le Galantin in Bandol, where Mouvèdre is the primary varietal along with smaller amounts of Grenache and Cinsaut. The French style rosé, particularly the Provençal style tends to be a lighter in color, requiring very short skin contact. 

One of the most sought after Champagnes is rosé Champagne. This is one of the few circumstances in rosé production where a small amount of still Pinot Noir is added to a white Champagne cuvée to create a consistent colored rosé from vintage to vintage. One example currently featured by the bottle here at the Barrel Room is the Mansard Brut Rosé, which is a darker pink color that’s bright and fresh with aromas of strawberries and raspberries.

The popularity and awareness of rosé has risen in the U.S. in recent years. Perhaps all those white zin and blush poo-pooers have discovered that not all pink wines are created equal.  Rosé is different. It has been proven that pink wine can be light, crisp and refreshing, not just a cloyingly sweet, cheap wine that comes out of a box. Next time you’re looking for a light refreshing white, try a rosé instead. You might be pleasantly surprised. 

*Rosé wines currently available at the Barrel Room

Stop by and see us for great conversation about any wine on our list and try our  Raventós i Blanc Cava Rosado Brut (sparkling) or Bandol Rosé by the glass. Or invite a friend and try a bottle of the Pinot Noir based J.K. Carriere ‘Glass’ Rosé from Oregon or our refreshing Corsican Patromonio Rosé.

Cheers! 

Carolyn