Not Your Grandmothers White Zin: Rose 101

How much do you really know about rosé? Here are four fun rosé wine facts we thought you would be interested in hearing about.

First and foremost, this is NOT your grandmother’s white zinfandel. WE REPEAT, this is not “Granny’s white zin”. People tend to hear the word rosé and instantly associate it with wine that’s This is not the case for many, many rosés. Rosé has been rapidly growing in popularity the past few years, from extra dry to extra sweet, with a variety for almost any occasion.

Secondly, you can make rosé anywhere in the world, from practically any grape. Rosé is a genre of wine, just like red and white wine. Love cabernet sauvignons? Great, there’s a rosé varietal of that. The way winemakers get that pinkish hue is simply in the way the grapes are harvested, they press the grape juice sooner, creating less contact to the skin then when making red wine. Grape skins that have been in contact with the juice longer are more likely to have more red wine similarities, and be more tannic.

The next interesting thing is, unlike many red wines, rosé doesn’t improve over the years. 2015 vintage rosés are considered to be the freshest…and it’s unlikely you’ll find a rosé more than 3 years old. Don’t worry though, 2013/2014 rosés are still. Rosés just don’t improve with age (we’re talking to you wine cellar folks).

Lastly, but most importantly, quality rosés exist at all price points! You don’t have to drop $50 on a bottle for it to be the good stuff. Because of the widespread popularity of rosé, you can find a great bottle for around $10.

What are you waiting for? ROSE SEASON IS HERE and we have a full lineup of 2015 Vintages.