How to find your favourite rosé wine

There are many different types of rosé wines. They can be as pale as a white wine or almost as deep as a red wine. They can be dry or sweet, acidic or round, light or bold. But which style is the best one for you and your guests? You can learn how to pick the perfect rosé here.

Light or dark rosé

It is a common misconception to assume that dark rosé wines are sweeter than the light ones. This is not necessarily true. So, what does the colour actually tell you? The colour can indicate how the wine was made, for instance grape variety and maceration time. Generally speaking, paler rosé wines have a lighter and crisp flavour, while darker rosé wines tend to be fruiter and deeper.

Dry or sweet

We have already busted the myth that all dark rosé wines are sweet. So now its time think about whether you prefer a dry, medium dry, medium sweet or sweet rosé wine. Most rosé produced is dry, there are however some exceptions.

If you're looking for a rosé wine that is medium dry, look for types such as Rosé d’Anjou, Cabernet d’Anjou and California White Zinfandel; or mass-produced rosé wines from Portugal.

Light or bold

You can also find light, medium-bodied or full-bodied rosé wines, but most tend to be light or medium-bodied. It is unusual to find a really bold rosé wine, though there are some exceptions like the rosé wines from Tavel (Rhône).

Acidic and fresh

If you prefer fresh wines with high acidity, or if you are going to pair your wine with a high acidic meal, choose a rosé from Sancerre. Maybe you have already tried a white wine from Sancerre? The rosé wines from this area are made from Pinot Noir and are quite fresh due to their acidity. Another rosé wine with high acidity is Schilcher from Austria, made from the Blauer Wildbacher grape.

If, on the other hand, you prefer a little rounder wines without as much acidity, you can look for rosé wines that are dominated by the Grenache grape and often blended with Cinsault. These wines rarely have more than medium acidity, unless it is also mixed with the Rolle grape. Grenache is widely used in northeastern Spain and southeastern France (Rhône and Provence).

Serving, durability and storage

Ideal serving temperature for rosé wine is 6-10 ˚C, but this can of course be adjusted to your personal preferences. It is recommended to serve lighter rosé wines at the lowest temperature and bolder ones at the highest. If you end up with some leftover wine that you want to keep, just put the cork back in and keep the bottle in the refrigerator. The quality of the wine will determine how long it will stay fresh, but as a general rule of thumb, it can last between 2-3 days.

Rosé wine is a fresh product and therefore not meant to be kept for aging, If you do however wish to store rosé, pick a Tavel or a Bandol rosé.

Check our rosé wines here