Everything’s Coming Up Rosés!

Have you ever wondered how rosé wines are created?

Known as rosé in French, rosado in Spanish, and rosato in Italian, rosé is one of the oldest styles of winemaking because—in its simplest form—it involves leaving crushed red grapes together with their skins for a certain amount of time.

Rosés can range from palest pink to deep red, depending on the varietal and how long it stayed in contact with the skin.

3 main ways to create rosés:

• Saignée
When a red varietal is crushed, the first juice is drawn off and aged separately as a rosé. This process results in very fine rosés and also serves to intensify the flavor of the original red varietal.
• Maceration
A red varietal is crushed and the skins are left in contact with the fruit for up to 24 hours, depending on the desired color and flavor of the final product. This is the most common production technique for rosés and produces excellent wines, including our Biltmore rosés.
• Blending
Red and white juices are blended to create a rosé. This process is used mainly for lower-quality wines, although some outstanding sparkling rosés are created in this manner.

Where did rosés originate?

The world’s earliest red wines were probably closer to rosé than modern red wines because it was not considered desirable to leave the grapes in contact with the skins for more than a day.

Over time, Europe would become the primary producers of rosé wines, but that changed in the early 1950s as rosés were successfully introduced into American markets and emerging California wineries began creating their own versions.

By the 1970s, rosé was often referred to as “blush” wine in the U.S., and though wildly popular, the style gradually became associated with sweeter, less-desirable blended wines. Enthusiasm for rosé began to wane.

Rosé renaissance

Today, rosé wines are enjoying a renaissance as winemakers and consumers explore a range of options from traditional dryer varietals such as Grenache, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah to semi-sweet offerings including White Zinfandel and sparkling Moscato versions.

Designed to be served chilled, modern rosés are excellent for sipping on their own and they also partner surprisingly well with eclectic fare such as spicy Asian cuisine and pizza.

Biltmore rosés

At Biltmore, we continue to explore new styles of rosés as our consumers’ palates evolve and new trends arise.

New for 2019, try our Biltmore Reserve North Carolina Rosé. Pale salmon in color, it features a delightful aroma with notes of strawberry, watermelon, honey, and lime. Semi-sweet and refreshing with flavors of kiwi and honeydew, it pairs well with spicy sausage, blackened chicken, and black bean burgers.

In addition, savor delicious options like our elegant and refreshing Biltmore Estate Dry Rosé with a subtle, fruit-forward bouquet followed by layers of delicate berry flavors.

For a sparkling wine as delicious as it is beautiful, try our coral-hued Biltmore Estate Blanc de Noir crafted from Pinot Noir grapes in the traditional méthode champenoise.