The expert guide to...ROSÉ
If you thought pink wine is made by blending red and white, think again. The majority of rosés are created by the saignée (bleeding) method; red grapes are gently crushed, their skins left to soak with the clear juice until it’s stained exactly the right colour required (usually a few hours). The pink liquid is then run off and fermented just like a white wine, usually under cold temperatures in stainless steel vats. Rosé is a relatively delicate wine, bottled quickly after it’s made, to be enjoyed while those come-hither red-berry aromas and flavours are young, fresh and lively. Top tip, then: avoid old rosés, which have probably lost their bloom.
Provence’s pale, bone-dry pinks are in vogue, with many other regions imitating this style.