National Rosé Day: Honoring the Marvels of Rosé

Today is National Rosé Day and the perfect day to celebrate those ever so popular pink wines that are currently the fad. Today more and more wineries are creating Rosés. This pink wine is very diversified, whether a blend of varietals or a single variety.

National Rosé Day came into being after submission by Bodvár – House of Rosés, a winery specializing in Rosé wines and approval by the registrar of National Day Calendar in October 2014. The premise, let us raise awareness and give Rosé lovers a day to come together and celebrate. National Rosé Day happens on the second Saturday of June every year. The first celebration occurred in 2015.

I think of Rosé as a summer wine, but I now find the wine so versatile that one can enjoy it at any time of the year. The wine goes with a multitude of food, whether it be a steak barbeque or a salad.

Wineries utilize one of four methods to create Rosé:

Maceration Method: Red grapes are left with skins to soak in their juice for a period of time. Often with the maceration process, the grapes are grown specifically for Rosé wine.

Direct Press:  This process is similar to making white wine. The grapes are pressed right away, and the skins removed just like white wine. Because the pigment lies in the skin, a tinge of color remains in the juice. This method typically produces the lightest colored Rosé.

Saignée Method: This method is also known as the bled off technique. During the process of making red wine, some of the juice is bled off to make Rosé wine.

Blending Method: A small portion of red grapes are added to white wine. Champagne typically utilizes this method.

Today winemakers create Rosé with varietals that include Carignan, Grenache, Garnacha, Barbera, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Syrah, Mourvédre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, and Zinfandel. The palette of colors and creativity with these varieties is expansive and for me enhances the experience as I always love to try something new.

Rosé Wines

Here are some Rosé options to consider sipping on National Rosé Day

American Rosé

Lodi in my eyes is an up, and coming region and Rosés play a big role in this wine region. I discovered two Rosés each unique in their own way but represent the diversity of Lodi wines.

Harney Lane Dry Rosé 2017 combines Zinfandel, Tempranillo, and Petite Sirah to bring forth a balanced and well-integrated wine that will please anyone’s palate. I found a bright, fresh and crisp wine with aromas of roses, citrus and peach and flavors of strawberry.

Harney Lane, a family-owned winery has been farming since 1907. In 2006 they ventured into winemaking by utilizing their estate-grown grapes to produce outstanding wines that merit recognition.

Markus Wine Co. 2017 Zeal Rosé blends Syrah primarily with Carignane. On the nose, I found fresh scents while on the palate the wine is fruity with flavors of raspberry and peach making this a clean and bright Rosé.

Markus Niggli’s wine adventure has moved him to a new level that represents the current vision of Lodi Wines. Markus shapes his wine by a place he lived, and Zeal pays tribute to the vineyards in Pearl, South Africa and the challenges that occur in that region.  For Markus, ” people like wine are shaped by unique places.”

South American Rosé

Domaine Bousquet 2018 consists of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Gris. This high altitude Argentine Rosé from the Uco Valley uses only organically grown grapes, which results in a bright yet fresh fruity wine with flavors of strawberry, cherries, and peach.

European Rosé

The 2017 Beronia Rosé features Garnache and Tempranillo mixed with a bit of Viura. The wine reminds me of Provence, so I call it Provence in Spain. One finds a crisp, bright, and fresh Rosé that emphasizes citrus, stone fruit, and florals.

Finally, a yearly favorite is the 2017 Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Rosé Pays d’Oc. Blending Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault resulting in a wine that exhibits flavors of strawberry, citrus, and stone fruit with a spicy finish. The wine is crisp yet maintains a lovely freshness.

National Rosé Day

Let us lift our glasses of Rosé and toast the marvels of Rosé as we celebrate National Rosé Day. Like the place that impacts each of us, a glass of wine like Rosé shapes our daily experiences.

Note: Common to the wine industry, this writer received hosted wine samples. While it has not influenced this review, the writer believes in full disclosure.