I have not always been a big fan of Rose wines. The first one I remember was a Mateus Rose. That was probably a splurge during my college days (like a bottle of Chianti with straw on the bottle at an Italian restaurant with a checkered tablecloth). Many of the Rose wines I have had since then were pretty forgettable. In more recent years, either my taste has changed or the Roses being produced have (or perhaps both are true). Certainly the price point for a Rose is as important as it is for a good white or red wine. I had a couple of Blush wines that may have literally put a bad taste in my mouth. More about Blush wines below. Before I share some of my recent New Jersey favorite Rose wines, I’d like to give some background information about how Rose wines are made and an interesting recent trend.
4 Ways to Make Rose Wine
- Limiting the exposure or maceration time to hours (as opposed to weeks or or months in making a red wine). This is the most common method for making quality Rose wine.
- Direct Pressing-The juice is immediately pressed out of the grapes. The more contact time, the darker the color.
- Saignee Method-saignee means “to bleed” or drain a portion of juice after a short period of time from a tank of crushed red grapes. The remaining juice will be made into a rich, concentrated red wine, while the juice drained out will become the Rose wine.
- Blending-Simply mixing red wine with white wine-This is the simplest method, but most often utilized in making cheaper wines. If the wine is made in this manner, it may be called a Blush, but it is technically not a Rose wine.
Recent Rose Wine Trend
The most recent trend that I have observed in New Jersey Rose wines is the greater variety of grapes being utilized to make the Rose wines. Historically, Rose wines are made most commonly from lighter colored and thinner skinned grape varieties, such as Pinot Noir Grenache, or Mourvèdre. However, it is now becoming more common to see a much more diverse source of red grapes, spanning from Pinot Noir to even the darkest of grapes, like Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. This trend is expanding to a point where some wineries are offering several different Roses, with a variety of red grapes. For example, Hawk Haven Vineyards has recently offered the following: Flying Press Rose (bottle or can); 2021 Sparkling Rose (bottle or can); 2020 Malbec Syrah Rose Pet-Nat; 2021 Signature Series Dry Rose; 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Rose; and Petite Sirah Rose.
My Current Favorite NJ Rose Wines (in no particular order)
If you know me or are a regular reader of this blog, you know I prefer dry wines. I have the good fortune to have most of these in my cellar:
- Unionville Vineyards 2021 Hunterdon Mistral Rose-this has been one of my favorites since my first tasting. Wonderful notes of strawberry and lime. Made with Syrah (54%); Petite Syrah (25%); and Counoise (21%).
- Hawk Haven Vineyards 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Rose-Surprisingly light in color; dry with a hint of peach on the palate.
- Hawk Haven Vineyards 2021 Petite Sirah Rose-Darkest in the bunch, but surprisingly light body; bone dry with a hint of strawberry.
- Hawk Haven Vineyards 2020 Pet Nat Malbec Syrah Rose-Delicious raspberry and cherry fizz.
- William Heritage Reserve Rose-A rich mouthfeel, with strawberry scent and peach on the palate (not shown)
- William Heritage 2021 Rose-A less expensive version, which I also enjoyed, is made with Cab Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Syrah, and Pinot Noir.
- White Horse Winery 2021 Painted Rose-A Rose as delicious as the bottle is beautiful (pictured below right):
I might add, that with all of the options you now have, there are now more than enough reasons why “red wine only” drinkers, should open a bottle of a great Rose. An open mind about trying a Rose today may surprise and reward you.
Cheers!
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