Excitement is mounting with New Zealand Rosé Day just around the corner on 5th February 2022.
Established seven years ago, New Zealand Rosé Day is designed to raise awareness and support local producers of premium New Zealand Rosé. Even more exciting, New Zealand Rosé now offers a wide variety of sweetness, prices and styles, which is pivotal in its increasing popularity.
Did you know that rosé wine has a long and textured history? In fact, some of the first wines ever produced were rosés. Let’s explore the fascinating story of this unique beverage.
A Brief History Of Rosé Wine
The origins of rosé wine can be traced back to ancient Greece and Rome. These early wines were made by blending white and red grapes together, which resulted in a delicate pink hue. Rosé wine quickly became popular among the aristocracy, thanks to its light, refreshing flavour and elegant appearance.
In more recent times, rosé has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, due in part to its association with summertime picnics and outdoor gatherings. Today, there are countless variations of rosé available from all over the world, with each wine boasting a different flavour profile from its predecessors.
How Is Rosé Produced?
The three major ways to produce rosé wine include skin contact, saignée, and blending. When rosé wine is the primary product, it is produced with the skin contact method. A rose takes its colour from the grape skins, but not enough that qualifies it as a red wine.
Black-skinned grapes are crushed, and the skins are allowed to remain in contact with the juice for a short period, typically two to twenty hours. The grape must is then pressed and the skins discarded, rather than left in contact throughout fermentation like red wine. The longer the skins are left in contact with the juice, the more intense the colour of the final wine.
Rosé: A Wine For All Palates
Rosé wines can either be sweet or dry. These days, both flavours are equally popular with consumers all over the world.
It has a light crisp flavour that makes it an excellent choice after a heavy meal, or even as a stand-alone drink during the day. On top of that, its relatively low price makes it an attractive choice for people who are watching their budget.
Luckily for all rosé fans out there, this unique type of wine has started popping up everywhere over the past few years. However, even though it's becoming increasingly easier to find, it's still important that you make sure the rosé wine you buy tastes good before spending your hard-earned money on it.
Where To Find The Best Rosé
Once upon a time in the beautiful South Island of New Zealand, a little piece of paradise became one of the South's best-kept secrets as home to a winemaking region where you'll find some of the best rosé wine on earth. Delicate and refined, Central Otago's rosé blends the subtle with the unexpected; much like Central Otago really.
New Zealand might not be the first country you think of when it comes to wine, but many experts would disagree. While we know we can compete with the best in the world, Central Otago's rosé is indeed one of New Zealand's best-kept secrets!