I love a cook, crisp, dry, fruit-forward salmon-colored wine in the hot Texas Summers. I am speaking of Roses’ and Blushes with its pinkish almost shrimp-color. Texas makes some exceptional Roses’ and Blushes. What exactly are these two types of wines?
A Rose’ wine is when a red wine grape like Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Mouvedere, Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, etc. is vinified like a white wine. When making wine whether white or red, the grapes are initially de-stemmed and crushed. At this point the crushed grapes with juice, pulp, seeds, and skins take a “fork in the road” whether it is a white wine grape or a red wine grape. When making red wines, the skins, pulp, and seeds continue to be with the fermenting wine in order to add tannins and esters from the skins. Almost immediately after crushing a white wine grape varietal like Chardonnay, Viognier, Semillon, Chenin Blanc, Riesling, etc., this mass of juice, pulp, skins, and seeds is put into a press to separate the juice from the skins and seeds. Pressing the remaining pulp and skins extracts what remaining grape juice there. The grape juice and suspended solids flow into a fermenting tank with the skins and seeds which are virtually like a dry soil can be put back into the vineyard as an act of sustainability. If the skins were not removed from the juice of the white grapes, the skins would add a brown tone to the vinified white wine. It is this same concept which takes the skins and seeds away from the red grape juice to have that pinkish color. This juice is then fermented like a white wine with its pink coloring which is actually a very diluted red wine color. A Rose wine is normally made from one grape varietal.
A Blush Wine is made entirely differently. Red wines and white wines are vinified separately for blending together to provide a lighter shade of red. Blush wines normally have one part red wine and three to five parts or even more of white wines to provide that diluted red coloring. Blush wines are made from at least two different grape varietals.
Texas is home to some outstanding Rose’ and Blush wines. Below are several recommendations for your consideration which are normally found in your local grocery store or wine shop:
• Church House Texas Blush Wine – The Church House Blush shows notes of honeysuckle, lilies and apricot, followed by intense tropical fruit aromas of passionfruit, guava and kiwi. With perfectly balanced sweetness and acidity, this wine pairs well with any patio, picnic or poolside.
• Becker Vineyards Provencal Mourvedre – This Texas Hill Country Rose is dry with floral notes and bright fruits.
• McPherson Cellars Les Copains Rosé – This is a dry rosé of opulent fruit and aromatics: think strawberry, Meyer lemon, wildflowers, and watermelon with a finish that is both creamy and tingles with good acidity for optimal food pairing and porch drinking alike!
• Messina Hof Grenache Dry Rosé – This vibrant pink Rose’ starts with faint, subtle aromas of strawberry and fleshy lemon pulp and climaxes with a full-flavor profile of ripe strawberry, cherry, and a pleasant finish.
• Llano Estacado Blush – Llano Blush is lightly sweet with a crisp finish and a bouquet of fresh strawberries.
• Cheramie Wine Montepulciano Rosé – This Rose’ is the second release from one of the first Black female vintners in Texas, Cheramie Law. This pink wine showcases lush, floral aromas with ripe strawberry, vanilla, and marmalade. This wine is available only at the winery website.
Enjoy these wines chilled to satisfy your Texas thirst during our hot, humid summer! Please let me know what other Texas Roses’ and Blushes you have found.