What makes rose wine pink

During this time, the weight of the grapes on top of each other cause the grapes to break open, allowing the juice to come out. Same as with what happens when utilizing the direct press method, the clear grape juice comes in contact with the pigments of the grape skins. Since the juice and grapes are together in a large vessel with no way of getting away from each other, the amount of pigment that the juice extracts from the skins is greater, causing the juice to turn a darker hue of pink.

A lovely shade of pink juice is now separated and able to ferment on its own without any more color extraction. This method is very popular in Spain where they produce very dark red wines such as Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mencia, Bobal, and Trepat. However, instead of diluting with water, they dilute with white wine. Why would a winemaker choose this method over either of the above? From an aromatic and flavor standpoint, blending white wine with a red wine enables more flavors to come out.

The traditional process of making blush wine has elements of both red wine production and white wine production — adopting the same fermentation process as red, but fermented at the temperature of white. Although you may have heard of some winemakers choosing to simply blend red and white wine to create pink, this approach is actually forbidden in most of the EU. A lot of winemakers will grow a variety they intend to make red wine with, but allocate a small amount of the crop to producing a pale pink wine from the same harvest.

The grapes are crushed into a juice, either by machine or the old fashioned way of using feet and hands. This is the exciting part that turns grapes into alcohol. Black grape juice is placed into a stainless steel fermentation tank, then yeast is added to convert the fruit sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Just like with red wine production , the skins are left on during fermentation to ensure colours, flavours and tannins are imparted from the grape skins into the wine. Think a light red, like grenache, with some extra brightness and crispness. Expect the following flavors when you take a sip:. Aside from grape type, climate and production methods contribute to these differences. Best known for its al fresco-friendly sipping style, this blush wine pairs well with almost everything, including spicy foods, sushi, salads, barbecued meats, roasts, and rich sauces.

For more ideas, check out how to pair wine like a pro. Pair these with dishes that incorporate the flavors of anchovies, olives, garlic, and saffron. Think paella, grilled chicken, lamb with herbs, or even charcuterie. Try them with ripe peaches, too.