Rosé

Rosé wines are produced in two ways: from red grape varieties that have undergone a brief maceration with the skins and seeds (so that the release of color- and tannin-giving compounds is minimal); the winemaking process then proceeds using the “white” method. The second production method uses both white and red grape varieties. The intensity of color in rosé winesis primarily determined—as are the other sensory characteristics of these wines—by the length of time the must remains in contact with the skins. Olfactorily, they express notes ranging from red flowers. On the palate, the tannins, while present, are much less pronounced in roséwines than in reds, and the structure is usually lighter. Some rosé wines, especially those from the south, which are richer in extracts, undergo brief aging in wood, with sometimes surprising results.