Characteristics and Ways of Producing Rose Wine
One of the most well loved beverages in the world is wine. Fermented from grapes, berries, crop or grains, this alcoholic drink enchants drinkers all over the world with nostalgia, elegance and flavor.
There are many varieties of wines in the market. One of the most common is rose wine.
The classic rose wine is
Anjou rose from the Loire. This drink is a pale colored and produced in Bordeaux.
After World War 2, medium sweet rose wines were produced for mass consumption. The classic examples are the Mateus Rose and American blush wines.
In Germany, a kind of rose wine called Weißherbst is produced. This wine uses only one kind of grape.
There are also rose wines that have drier tastes and textures. Examples of these are those made from Rhone Grapes in Syrah and in hot regions such as Languedoc and Australia.
Rose wine is actually white wine which displays some color that is found in red wine. However, the color is just enough to make it pink. The pink color varies from a pale orange to a dark, almost purple hue.
Rose wine is made from very dark grapes of one or many varieties. The wine's color depends on the grapes and the techniques used in wine making.
Rose wine is produced in three ways. The first method of production is skin contact. Here, red-skinned grapes are crushed. Their skins remain in contact with the resulting juices for a period of time. If the skins are left in contact with the juice for a long time, the color of the wine will be more intense. The grapes are then pressed and the skins are thrown away.
The skin contains strongly flavored tannin, which gives the rose wine its distinctive taste.
The second method of production is called saignee, or bleeding. Here, the winemaker allows more tannin and color to a red wine. Then he gets rid of some of the pink juice in a process called "bleeding the vats." The pink extract is then allowed to ferment separately. The result is rose wine as a by-product of the red wine.
As an after effect of this process, the red wine has a more intense and concentrated taste.
The final method is called blending. This is the simplest method to produce rose wine. This involves adding red wine to white wine to produce a pink color. Most wine producing regions in France do not use this method.
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