Tasting Rosé
Infinite variations
Rosés present infinite variations in terms of taste, colour and style
There are dry rosés and sweet rosés, pale rosés and dark rosés, party rosés and fine dining rosés. Of all the rosés made in the world, the Provence AOCs are delicate, fresh, fruity and generous. Depending on its native terroir, the varietals used, its vinification method and the winemaker’s expertise, a Provence rosé can have a wide variety of colours and flavours. A tasting can help you to discover the immense range offered by Provence AOC rosés.
Rosé, according to Gilles Masson
Director of the Centre du Rosé
According to Gilles Masson, Director of the Centre de Recherche et d’Expérimentation sur le Vin Rosé, the style of a Provence AOC rosé is:
- An evocative colour: pale pink or even slightly orangey, but always light and bright;
- Intense, fresh and generous fruit-forward flavours;
- A tender caress in the mouth, a fruity sensation reminiscent of sugar although the wine is dry (less than 4 g/litre of residual sugar), and a acidulous, refreshing taste;
- A drinking experience full of mellowness, tenderness, romanticism, affection or friendship.“
Serve chilled: between 8°C and 10°C
Colour of Provence AOC rosés
Provence AOC rosé wines are identifiable by their palette of light colours with shades of pink or orange, in bright, limpid tones.
The main colours are peach, melon, lychee, mango, pomelo, raspberry, apricot, mandarin and redcurrant.
Direct press yields low-intensity colours of wine, ranging from peach to mango flesh. Cold skin maceration produces wines with more sustained colours, from pomelo pink to redcurrant red.
Provence AOC rosé wines are identifiable by their palette of light colours with shades of pink or orange, in bright, limpid tones.
The main colours are peach, melon, lychee, mango, pomelo, raspberry, apricot, mandarin and redcurrant.
Direct press yields low-intensity colours of wine, ranging from peach to mango flesh. Cold skin maceration produces wines with more sustained colours, from pomelo pink to redcurrant red.
Flavours of Provence AOC rosés
Citrus and exotic fruit flavourss Grapefruit, pineapple, passion fruit, mango, lychee, etc. These notes are a product of the selected grapes and the fermentation process. This new aromatic style is increasingly popular and can often be found in Provence rosés.
Yellow and white fruit flavours Melon, peach, apricot, etc. These notes come from the varietal. This aromatic style is more common in terroir rosés, particularly those vinified by direct press.
Fruit and candy flavours Banana, strawberry candy, marshmallow, liquorice allsorts, etc.These notes stem from the fermentation process. This traditional, full-bodied style offers delicate, generous nuances.
Berry flavours Cherry, redcurrant, raspberry, strawberry, etc. These notes come from the grape. This aromatic style is currently declining due to lack of popularity. It is often obtained through vinification by skin maceration.
Floral notes Rose, honeysuckle, acacia, verbena, orange blossom, etc. These notes are the fruit of the varietal and the fermentation process. This very subtle aromatic style is often encountered after vinification by direct press.
Spices and aromatics Cinnamon, pepper, star anise, vanilla, liquorice, caramel, etc. These notes come from the vinification and maturation processes. They can be found in rosé wines with strong character, often the result of skin maceration and sometimes barrel-ageing.
"Rosé experience" : a time for conviviality
Rosé wines are appreciated for their simplicity and their ability to adapt to any situation, from the most genuine to the most elaborate.
As a couple, with family or friends, during aperitif, a cocktail reception, a holiday meal, at a Michelin-starred restaurant, accompanying the spicy tastes of world cuisines, combined with the colours of Provençal cuisine or to stand up to the iodized flavours of the sea, in summer or in winter, in Provence or elsewhere: Provence AOC rosés make for excellent companions to all of these convivial moments, when the wines can fully express their strong personalities.
