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Rosé

Rosé is wine made from blue (dark) grapes, where the juice only has very brief contact with the grape skins. It is the skins that give colour, so when they are removed quickly, the wine takes on only a little colour and very little tannin. The result is the characteristic pinkish tone, which can vary from an almost delicate salmon colour to a deeper, more intense pink. The rule of thumb is that the longer the skin contact, the deeper the colour becomes.

Rosé typically means a fresh and fruit-driven wine with a light body and good acidity, which is why it is lovely to drink well chilled and preferably young, while the freshness is at its peak. The flavour often leans towards red berries like strawberry and cherry, sometimes with a hint of citrus or a salty minerality. Most rosés are dry, but you will also find off-dry and sweet versions, so it can pay to check the label.

Rosé can be made in many places and from many grape varieties, but Provence in France is particularly known for the dry, pale style. A widespread misunderstanding is that rosé is simply red and white wine mixed together. For quality wines that is precisely not the case, the colour comes from the grape's own skins. Think of it as a summer wine for the terrace, for shellfish, light dishes or as an aperitif.

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