It’s go time on summer and with that comes our shift to the “warm
weather wines”! I don’t know about you, but I generally don’t touch red wine in
the warm summer months since I want something that is refreshing and cold when the
temperature outside starts to soar. Rosé has come mainstream lately, as
it most certainly should. It took a bit of pushing though, as too many people
looked at pink wine and were transported back to the White Zins and cheap blush
wines their moms and grandmothers drank for so many years. I am here to tell
you that today’s rosé has evolved greatly from those! Rosé is
made just like every other wine, but the grape skins are only left in contact
with the juice for a short time, rather than throughout fermentation like with
a red wine. The longer the skins are left in contact with the juice and
depending on the grape used, the darker the color of the rosé, which is
why you will see all the colors of the pink rainbow when it comes to rosés
(which is one of the reasons I love this type of wine!). Essentially, you can
make pretty much any red grape varietal into a rosé. Many wineries even blend
different varietals for their final product. The fun that winemakers have been
having creating these wines is what makes the Washington rosé scene so
amazing! While there are way too many to even try to compile in one post, here
are several that I have come across this spring through my tasting adventures
locally and in Eastern Washington!
