We have all heard about Rosé, with its beautifully aesthetic pink colour. However, what is Rosé wine, and how is it different from red and white wine?

When Rosé wine is made it is made by crushing the red grapes with the skins and then leaving them to macerate for anywhere between 30 minutes to 24 hours. The juice is then strained off those skins, but the deepness of the colour depends on how long this process is done. The longer the wine is spent ‘on skins’, the darker the rosé will become. The time can depend on the winemaker and brand preferences for the depth of colour, as well as the varietal which is being used. Rosé can be made from Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Grenache or any red skinned varietal.

The sweetness or dryness levels come from the rest of the wine making process. This will vary if the grapes were picked early or late in the season and the fermentation process. During this process, the yeast eats the natural sugars in grapes to produce alcohol, meaning the shorter the process the sweeter the Rosé! If wine is a dryer style, the wine maker will let the yeast have a feast on the sugars for a bit longer and a sweeter wine, they will stop the fermentation early.

With all this being said, it can still be hard to find a great Rosé wine, so to help you out, here are our top Rosé recommendations! 

Colmar Estate Brut Rosé Chardonnay Pinot Noir

Florian Mathieu Espirit Azur Rosé

Fraser Gallop Estate Syrah