Rosé is nothing if not the official drink of the summer! Well, at least at our house, it is. You already know that the Candoni family of wine includes several amazing Italian rosés (like this one) so it probably comes as no surprise that there’s always a chilled bottle or two at every family get-together. You know, they say millennials are actually responsible for the surging popularity of rosé – my sister Caterina and I have certainly done our part!
Rosé is light, it’s refreshing, and it’s fruity, but it’s also one of the most interesting wines around. Whether you’re already a fan or haven’t had an occiasion to try the “pink drink,” get inspired by these five fun rosé facts.
- Rosé isn’t just a blend of white and red wine!
The most common misconception about rosé is that it’s a blend of red and white wines. It’s not. Rosé is actually made from white grapes; it’s a white wine infused with the color of red wine grapes. Our rosés are made from Raboso and Pinot Noir grapes. After a light first pressing, we allow the Pinot Noir skins to soak in the white wine for around 10-15 hours to give off exactly the right color and aroma. Perfetto! - Rosé should not be aged.
Some wines – a heady Merlot, a rich Montepulciano D’Abruzzo – get better with time. Rosé is different. Rosé wines are actually best enjoyed within one to two years, and sooner if they’re sparkling or demi-sec. The best Rosé is the one you have right now! - Rosé wines were the first
Believe it or not, a lot of historians say that the very first wines were rosés! The ancient Greeks simply squished the juice out of red grapes, naturally leeching a little color out, too. They allowed that juice to ferment independent of the grape skins which resulted in a delightfully pink final product. They were ahead of their time! - Rosé is incredibly (incredibly) popular.
The French actually produce the most rosé by volume, but even we were surprised to know that they now drink more rosé wine than white wine in France. Unsurprisingly, the USA and Italy are the 2nd and 3rd largest consumers and producers of rosé; Italian rosé has seen skyrocketing popularity over the last decade as techniques improve and new varietals are experimented with. - Rosé’s summertime popularity is a technicality.
Of course, perfectly chilled wine and summer go hand-in-hand, but rosé is actually highly enjoyable any time of the year! It’s association with summer goes back to wine production schedules: Because rosé is faster to produce than some other wines it typically released in the spring and sold out by fall/winter. The great news? Rosé actually pairs beautifully with a wide variety of foods and you can likely find great rosé in your local supermarket year-round.
Here at Candoni Wines, we’ve been singing the praises of rosé for years. The wine has a lingering reputation as “too sweet” or “feminine” but like all wine, you can find it with a variety of styles and tasting notes. From sparkling to subdued, there’s truly a rosé for everyone.
As for anyone who doesn’t care to carry around a glass full of “pink wine?” We say…more rosé for us!
Cin cin!
Barbara Candoni De Zan
