Types of Rosé Wine

Styles and varieties of rosé wine

Styles of rosé, along with our taste in it, have evolved over the years. Sure, those fruity, deep pink White Zinfandels are still around, but there’s a spectrum of pink tones to choose from these days. Just like with red or white wine, there are many factors to consider when picking up a bottle of blush, including preference, price and occasion.

What’s unique about rosé as a category of wine is that it boasts elements of both red and white wine, combining the fruitiness, flavours and tannins of red wine with the crisp acidity and chilled serving temperature of white. Adopting the best traits from both, blush wine is far more complex than it’s previously been given credit for. We delve deeper into the complexities of different rosé wine types below.

What are the main types of rosé wine?

The most popular types of dry rosé wine include the pale and delicate style that’s famously produced in Provence, while popular sweet rosé wines include Californian White Zinfandel and Pink Moscato (or Moscato Rosé).

Let’s take a look at the 10 most popular pinks in more detail.

Provence rosé

Style and structure
Pale and elegant, Provence rosé is a very sophisticated style made from a red grape blend, and it’s hugely sought after. In fact, 36 million people drink Provence in France alone, with 9 out of 10 of those wine drinkers saying they enjoy it regularly. Dry and very light-boded with fresh fruit and floral notes, it’s easy to see why this refined rosé is so well loved, and it’s fast becoming a favourite fair-weather wine for UK drinkers too.

Wine regions
The clue is in the name when it comes to this pink drink. This type of rosé is made in the Provence region in the south of France, where over 80% of all wine production is pink. Blessed with a sun-drenched Mediterranean climate that’s ideal for viticulture, Provence is extremely unique in that it focusses its resources on the production of rosé, and even has a research centre dedicated to it!

Flavours and food pairings
Provence wine is floral and minerally with gentle summer berries and citrus, herbal hints and orchard fruit. As it’s so refreshing and offers notes such as rosemary and sage, Provence is pleasingly food friendly and accompanies summer salads, seafood and white meat dishes beautifully.

White Zinfandel

Style and structure
White Zinfandel is probably what many of us picture when someone says “rosé wine”. It’s a type of rosé that can divide drinkers, with some adoring its refreshing fruitiness, and others assuming it’ll be too sweet for them based on poor marketing of it in the 1980s. Ranging between off-dry and sweet, it’s undoubtedly fuller and fruitier than a Provence pink, but its palate is more complex than you might realise.

Wine regions
This rosé wine type was born in 1970s California, where it remains extremely popular across the whole of the USA and beyond. Its origin, however, is actually European, as the Zinfandel grape variety is genetically almost identical to the famous Italian grape Primitivo, which was brought over to America in the 1950s.

Flavours and food pairings
The main reason for White Zinfandel’s infamous sweetness is that the grapes bask in the Californian sunshine, developing pronounced fruit flavours and plenty of natural sugars. The result is a delicious palate of red berries and melon with baking spice notes of clove and nutmeg. It’s a juicier style of pink wine that’s rich enough to pair with mature cheeses, sticky BBQ ribs, pulled pork and teriyaki salmon.

Garnacha Rosado

Style and structure
Garnacha Rosado is essentially the Spanish version of Grenache Rosé. Grenache is one of the main grape varieties used in Provence rosé, which means that Grenache Rosé wines are very similar to Provencal ones – so, we’ll focus on the Spanish variety in this section. Shaped by the warm, Hispanic climate, Garnacha Rosado offers slightly sweeter notes, although the overall palate is very much dry with well-balanced acidity.

Wine regions
The north east of Spain is best known for Garnacha Rosado production, namely the Aragon region.

Flavours and food pairings
This type of rosé is luscious and full of flavour. Lashings of fruit dance on the palate, from strawberries and raspberries to apple and grapefruit, occasionally accompanied by a lick of liquorice. A classic pairing rule is to match wine and food from the same country, which should absolutely be applied here. Think tapas and seafood paella.

Cinsault Rosé

Style and structure
Made from the Cinsault grape variety, which is low in tannins and acidity, this type of rosé is known for being light, fruity and softly perfumed. It’s a dry, easy drinking pink that’s very pale and graceful in appearance.

Wine regions
Cinsault has been grown in southern France for centuries and is the fourth most widely planted grape in the country, which is why blush wine made from it is typically associated with French regions like Languedoc and Rhône Valley. Cinsault has been on its travel over the years, though, with rosés carrying the same name popping up in New World regions such as Australia, Chile and South Africa.

Flavours and food pairings
Expect heaps of fresh, fruity flavours like strawberry, raspberry, pomegranate and morello cherry, accompanied by floral violet notes and hints of spice. Pair this clean, expressive rosé with light fish dishes and sushi platters.

Pinot Noir Rosé

Style and structure
Pinot Noir Rosé is a delicate, crisp pink wine made from 100% Pinot Noir. With Pinot Noir being a grape used to produce lighter bodied reds, it’s no surprise that when it comes to Pinot Noir Rosé the wines are also lighter than other styles and very refreshing on the palate. With low sugar content and low tannins, these wines are very easy drinking.

Wine regions
Pinot Noir is most commonly associated with France, and more specifically Burgundy, where it is used to produce light-bodied, juicy reds. This region does also produce Pinot Noir Rosé however in much smaller quantities. More commonly, Pinot Noir Rosé is now produced in the States with Napa Valley being at the forefront of production, as well as Sonoma Valley. The climate here is perfect for this grape, allowing it to retain the bright acidity.

Flavours and food pairings
These wines have delicate flavours of strawberry and rose petals, meaning they pair perfectly with light, summery dishes. Go for a chicken salad, a nice fresh salmon dish or even a light tomato pasta.

Mourvèdre Rosé (Monastrell Rosé)

Style and structure
Mourvèdre is a red grape thought to have originated in Spain and migrated to France in the middle ages. It’s a fussy grape but when it has the conditions required to reach its full potential the wines produced are exceptional. When used to produce rosé, the wine is well structured and complex often with a nice weight on the palate.

Wine regions
Most commonly grown in France in Provence and the Southern Rhône, this grape thrives in the sun and warm weather, but also enjoys the coastal influence.

Flavours and food pairings
Often fuller-bodied in style, these wines boast flavours of citrus, peach and herbs, as well as elegant fruity flavours of strawberry and raspberry. This style pairs perfectly with grilled fish or even steak, as well as barbecued vegetable skewers.

Rosato

Style and structure
Rosato is Italian rosé produced using indigenous grapes which are rarely seen outside of Italy. These include varietals like Montepulciano, Sangiovese and Barbera. Rosato is often fruit-forward with fuller flavours and savoury tones making them a little more robust. Don’t be put off by the fact some of these rosés can be darker in colour compared to the Provencal styles, this doesn’t mean they are over sweet like some assume.

Wine regions
Rosato wines are produced in Italy, as you may have guessed by now, due to the fact the grapes used are almost exclusively found here.

Flavours and food pairings
Rosato wines often have richer, juicy fruit flavours of spiced cherry and cranberry, complemented by brighter notes of melon and jasmine. With savoury nuances also not uncommon, these wines pair well with the types of food you might associate more with red wines, such as steak or stews.

Pink Prosecco

Style and structure
Pink Prosecco is a new addition to the wine world with the Prosecco DOC Consortium changing the rules in October 2020, allowing the skins of Pinot Noir grapes to be used in Prosecco production, and therefore Prosecco Rosé was born! Produced using 85-90% Glera (the white grape used in Prosecco) and 10-15% Pinot Noir (one of the red grapes used in Champagne), this sparkling wine is light and dry in style, with a soft round palate.

Wine regions
For a wine to be classed as Prosecco it has to be produced in the Prosecco region, which can be found in the broader Veneto region of Italy.

Flavours and food pairings
With a soft approachable palate of summer fruits, apple and citrus, Prosecco Rosé is the perfect match with olives and charcuterie as well as soft, mild cheeses.

Moscato Rosé

Style and structure
Made from dark Muscat grapes such as Moscato Rosa del Trentino, this is a type of rosé wine that you’ll find produced all over the world. Often sweeter in style than other rosés, pink Moscato is bright and refreshing with a zippy acidity. It can be produced in still or sparkling styles, and often offers great value for money compared to other rosé styles.

Wine regions
Moscato originates from Italy and is still grown here today where it is often used to produce pink Moscato in the sparkling form, particularly in the Piedmont region. However, New World regions have also taken on this grape and are producing some exceptional rosé wines, including South Africa and California.

Flavours and food pairings
Expect sweet, fruity flavours from these wines including notes of strawberry and even hints of orange. Pair these wines with strong cheeses or sweet desserts for the ultimate match.

Rosé Champagne

Style and structure
Pink Champagne has been around for centuries and is produced using the classic Champagne blend of grapes – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Just like traditional Champagne, the rosé version has that rich, creamy style you would expect creating a luxurious mouthfeel. The wine is also generally very dry.

Wine regions
As the name suggests, Rosé Champagne has to be produced in the Champagne region of France in order to be labelled Champagne.

Flavours and food pairings
The palate often features secondary flavours such as almond and brioche as a result of that second fermentation in the bottle (which is used to create the bubbles). There is also fresh strawberry and cherry flavours which make this wine lovely and fruity. Although perfect on its own without food, if you would like to serve it with a meal then something indulgent such as scallops or oysters would make a great match.

What kind of wine is rosé?

Rosé wine is a type of wine that’s made from red-skinned grapes, but shares more similarities with white wine in terms of body and style. Rosé wine is always transparent in appearance, and its colour ranges from pale pink to warm salmon and cherry pink. It can be dry in style or sweet, depending on the grape variety used and the climate the grapes were grown in.

How is rosé wine produced?

In rosé wine production, red grapes are harvested, crushed and then fermented with the fruit skins and pips. Just the same as with red wine production, the winemaker waits until after the grape juice has been turned into alcohol to remove the skins and pips, and they do this to ensure that colour from the skins gets infused into the wine during fermentation. The key difference with rosé production is that it’s fermented at a much lower temperature, and for a much shorter period of time than red wine, meaning only a small amount of colour transfers into the wine.

You may have also heard of some winemakers simply blending red and white wine to create pink, but this approach is actually forbidden in many countries.

What temperature should rosé wine be served at?

The temperature you should serve rosé wine at is similar to how you’d serve most white wines. Provence rosé and other crisp, pale pinks should be chilled right down to 8-10°C for optimum enjoyment, while darker, fruitier types of rosé are best served at 10-12°C.

How long does rosé wine keep once opened?

Rosé wine can last up to five days in the fridge with a cork. Tannins in wine come from grape skins and stalks, and are therefore present in deeper pink rosé wines that were fermented with the grape skins for longer. Tannins help to delay oxygenation, which means that deep pink rosés, such as Californian White Zinfandel, are likely to last a little longer once opened.

How much sugar is in rosé wine?

A glass of dry rosé can have less than six calories worth of sugar, while a sweeter rosé can have between 20 and 70 calories of sugar in a single measure. This is because warm climate wine regions produce grapes with higher natural sugar levels, and typically lead to sweeter, more tropical fruit flavours in wine. So, pink wines from warmer climates such as Spain or California will be sweeter than pink wines from France, for example.

What type of rosé wine is best?

This, of course, depends on your own personal taste. Super pale and elegant, Provence-style blush wines have become very fashionable in recent years, with many white wine drinkers enjoying how light and refreshing they can be. Esprit de Provence Rose Cotes de Provence is a superb example of this type of rosé. On the other hand, if sweeter pink wines are more your thing, we’d recommend this multi award-winning American beauty, the Gypsy Lee Rose White Zinfandel.