Lardy's Wine Tasting Notes
Rose Wines
Lardy's Wine Tasting NotesRose Wines
There are two types of rose wines, in general. The type exemplified by California White Zinfandel will not be included in this database. lfw finds them to be thin, watery and chemical (from the massive doses of preservative needed). They do not fit here. This style is easily replaced by taking a good dry red or white house wine (and why not a 4-litre cask?) and adding your favourite fruit juices to make Sangria. Determine your own alcohol and sweetness levels by blending one glass at a time. Save some money and cut down your chemical intake... The mass-market "wine coolers" are like this too.
The other type of rose wine is the product of the fermentation of red grapes, almost always left on the skins for just a very short period to extract a slight colour, thus rose or blush. In general terms they lack the tannins, colour and heaviness of red wines. They are not lightweights by definition, although many winemakers also choose lighter alcohol levels, and oak is rarely a factor. Many are lightweights. These are the Canadian wines to compare with European full-bodied (no water added!) roses from such places as Spain and the South of France or Italy. Such styles are made elsewhere but in the rose category the boomer blends have tended to dominate, giving real rose wines a bad reputation (like good Riesling). In many cases a blend of red and white wines CAN work well too, but the best follow the pattern above.
Most rose wines should be served slightly chilled - but not as cold as you would serve white wine. Treat them as you would a full-bodied white wine. They are the summer alternative for serious red wine drinkers. They will also complement an amazing variety of standard foods, and do it very well. The heavier - bodied the rose, the warmer it should be served.
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