Often synonymous with holidays, sunshine, and summer, rosé has taken an increasingly important place in the wine market in France as well as in the wine consumption of the French. But what are the particularities of this wine?
The origin of rosé wine
Rosé wine is considered the oldest wine in the world. Indeed, it was in the Mediterranean basin, and more specifically in Provence, that vine cultivation and wine production developed in Antiquity.
At the time, the red wine produced by the Egyptians, then the Greeks, and finally the Romans was very light. This wine was actually called vinum clarum (clear wine). Indeed, the grape juice used to make the wine fermented without the pieces of skin or pulp, thus depriving it of its coloring matter. Moreover, at that time, the absence of aging in barrels or vats did not allow the wine’s color to be intensified.
During the rise of the Roman Empire, viticulture spread throughout Gaul. It was the church that popularized this clear wine in the context of religious ceremonies called "clairets." Clairet is actually the name given to rosé wine until 1682, when it was called "rosé" for the first time in the Argenteuil vineyard. The term clairet still exists today as a protected traditional designation for wines from AOC Bordeaux and Burgundy.
The making of rosé wine
In general, rosé wine undergoes the same production process as red wine. Red grapes have colored skins but the juice is white. The color is then transferred during the maceration phase (the contact between the skin and the juice).
There are several methods of vinifying rosé wine.
Maceration rosé
This method consists of letting the grapes macerate for a few hours or even overnight in vats; it is a short maceration without alcoholic fermentation. The solid parts of the grape, namely the skin and seeds, then form what is called the marc. It is the marc that colors the wine from the natural pigments contained in the grape. To end the maceration, the juice is simply collected from the bottom of the vat to separate it from the marc. This is called "racking."
Saignée rosé
This method is very similar to the vinification of red wines. This wine is obtained from grapes put into vats as for maceration rosé, except that the goal is to produce red wine. After several hours of maceration, the juice that has taken on a pink color is released. The other part is left to produce red wine.
Pressing rosé
This method consists of directly pressing whole grape clusters after harvest. The collected juice is then put into vats for fermentation to begin. This method generally produces rosés with a very pale color.
The exceptional case of Champagne
Champagne is the only region authorized to make rosé by blending white wine and red wine. This is called a blending rosé.
Why is rosé popular in France?
France is the world’s leading producer of rosé wine with 7.6 million hectoliters produced annually out of 24.3 million hectoliters produced worldwide. In addition to being the top producer, France is also the top consumer with no less than 8.1 million hectoliters consumed in 2014. This represents nearly 40% of global production.
Our country is also the largest importer of rosé wine because domestic production does not cover internal demand. Thus, we import 22% of rosés from global production.
Besides its very appreciated bright color, rosé is also a wine containing little residual sugar (less than 4 grams of sugar per liter). Fresh and light, it mainly attracts a young audience and a more female audience.
Rosé wine producing regions
Provence: the great rosé region
Unsurprisingly, the Provence region is the leading producer of rosé wine in France. Its wine production thus includes 90% rosé wines. The region produces 40% of the national production as well as 5% of global production. The most used grape varieties are grenache, cinsault, and syrah. Occasionally, a touch of mourvèdre or cabernet-sauvignon is also added.
Languedoc Roussillon
Languedoc Roussillon is the second largest rosé producing region in France with 13% of production. Its climate and summer atmosphere are very close to Provence, which may explain the enthusiasm around this wine. The rosés from this region are mostly more powerful and more colored, especially in Roussillon with grape varieties like syrah, carignan, and mourvèdre. In Languedoc, rosés more often result from the cinsault-grenache duo complemented by syrah and mourvèdre.
Rhône Valley
The Rhône Valley contains an appellation dedicated exclusively to rosé wine, Tavel. It is the only appellation in the Rhône to produce only rosé. Tavel rosés can be made with many grape varieties. While black grenache dominates, it is accompanied by cinsault, syrah, mourvèdre, calitor, and carignan. It can also be accompanied by white grape varieties such as clairette or bourboulenc. Rich and complex, it is considered one of the rare rosé wines that should be aged.
Corsica
In Corsica, rosé represents half of the wine production, more in AOC and a bit less in IGP. Corsican rosés come from grape varieties native to the island such as nielluccio and sciaccarello, generally complemented by grenache.
Other regions
Rosé is also found in other regions of France not necessarily known for producing this wine. For example, there are some rosé productions in Bordeaux and Sancerre where rosé is made from pinot noir. In Burgundy, Marsannay is the only appellation authorized to produce rosé wine. In the Loire, there are two particular rosés, Rosé d'Anjou and Cabernet d'Anjou, which are semi-dry wines. In Bugey, there is Cerdon, an original semi-dry sparkling rosé, already mentioned in our article "Mountain wines".
Finally, once again, a particularity in Champagne. First, in the production of rosé champagnes obtained either by saignée or by blending (mixing a little red wine into a white wine). Then, there is a unique appellation dedicated to rosé in the Aube department, Rosé des Riceys. This wine is made 100% from pinot noir. It undergoes maceration for three to four days before being aged in barrels for ten to twelve months and marketed three to four years after harvest.
Our May rosé selection
May means the return of rosé in the Domaine du Goût wine box. A selection that will take you on a journey as we offer you a wonderful Côtes du Roussillon from Domaine de Piquemal, as well as a Corbières, Côteaux de L'Aude from Domaine Mas des Caprices. Finally, we take you to Calvi in Corsica with the rosé from Domaine L'enclos des Anges. Enough to bring sunshine into your home! If we have made your mouth water, do not hesitate to order your rosé wine box on our website.
