Are rosé wines an excuse for a wine?

posted: 06-May-2009
Hello  everyone,

It's been a while, but it's been busy coming up to the summer season.

Thanks for your questions over the last few weeks, I've answered some of them on the posts below - so check the posts beneath my last blog if you're interested in learning why New Zealand brands like Oyster Bay sauvignon blanc are so cheap now, or why ideas like putting Coca-Cola into your wine are not advisable.

This week I wanted to address a new subject - the merits of rose.

Everyday I am solicited by at least one winemaker from around the world who has heard rosé sales are flying in Ireland – it’s simply not true!

Whatever about what is going on in England or France the rosé bug has not caught on here yet.

Yes, it is true to say that there are a number of what are termed ‘blush wines’ that are selling at staggering levels led by Blossom Hill White Zinfandel and Gallo White Zinfandel.

These are very much in the fruity, friendly camp with high residual sugar that can give them an instant appeal but would not be my dessert island choice.

Dry rosés on the other hand can be quite a revelation.

Dry rosés are made in a similar way to dry white wines the only difference is that rosés are made from black grapes and on crushing the grapes the white juice of the grapes is left sit on the black skins for up to 10 hours and during this period some of the colour leeches out and the wine becomes rosé, simple! 

Rosés should be approached as though a white wine, be served chilled and be enjoyed with white meats, pasta, salads etc.

Don't ignore rose - it's can be delicious on a sunny day

Do I recommend dry rosés? Absolutely! They are particularly ideal if the sun is beating down and you don’t want the hassle of serving a red and a white wine at a party.

Which producers do I favour?

I am a big fan of the rosés from the Loire Valley and Provence and the producers that immediately that spring to mind are Henri Bourgeois, Langlois-Chateau, Château Vignelaure, Domaine de Nizas……. but really there are hundreds of options knocking around Ireland and it is a great idea to have a few bottles tucked away in the fridge for that odd break in the clouds.

What Rosé vintage should you select ?

Like with all white wines with rosés seek out the youngest, freshest vintage.This means you should be opting for the 2008 vintage and at oldest 2007.

Ireland.com links

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Blogger Bio
davidwhelehanDavid Whelehan is one of Ireland’s top wine experts.

A regular on TV, his friendly accessible wine advice is a real hit with viewers.

He is the marketing director and head wine buyer for O'Briens, so he knows his stuff. Over the years, he has sampled thousands of different wines  and he is a member of the Champagne Academy - he won the Champagne Academy Trophy the year he participated in their training programme in France.

He has been passionate about wine ever since he was a student -  he founded the Wine Club in Trinity  and during summer holidays he worked in wineries in the Napa Valley, California, Chablis and Champagne.
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