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I recently had an argument with a friend about the differences between red and rosé wines. He claimed that pink was made by simply mixing red and white. I tried to convince my friend that this is not so, and rose is an independent drink. But my admonitions were not successful.
I hope you find this information useful. I will say right away that white wine mixed with red turns into a hell of a tasteless mixture.
Preparation method
Consider the methods of making red and rosé wines for their further comparison.
Red wines are made in the classical way. For them, you can use red and black grape varieties.
To begin with, squeeze the juice from the grapes along with the skin. This mixture is left to ferment. It is very important not to remove the skin, as it contains a lot of tannin and color pigments. Without them, red wine will not be as rich.
Some wines are placed in oak barrels so that they acquire unique taste properties.
A real light rosé wine can be obtained by no means by mixing red and white.
Rosé wine is made from red grapes, sometimes white, but never black.
Squeeze out the juice and allow the skin to contact with it for a very short time. Next, the finished mixture for the fermentation process is placed in special containers.
What grape varieties are used
Consider the main varieties of grapes and wines that can be made from them:
- Cabernet Sauvignon. A tart rich variety that is used for the most interesting classic wines. For reds, berries with skin are used, and sometimes with noble mold. For rosés, only juice is taken without any additives, but this rarely happens and such wines are considered more a tribute to fashion than tradition.
- Pinot Noir. It is considered an ideal variety for making light rosé wines.
- Isabel. The most common grape variety, which, however, is prohibited for making wine in the countries of the European Union. In other countries, only red wines are made from this wine.
- Syrah (Shiraz). A rich variety with a berry aroma, it is widely used for making both red and rosé wines. The latter of it are especially spicy and beautiful.
- Grenache. An excellent grape variety for making sour wines with fruity undertones. Ideal for rosés, but in reds it is used to dilute the astringency of another variety, such as Merlot Grenache.
- Muscat. White grape variety. However, it makes an excellent rosé wine, full-bodied and fruity.
What are red and rosé wines served with?
We figured out the manufacture and varieties, now the most important thing is what to drink with.
For red wines, dishes are chosen according to the principle: the richer the color of the wine, the richer the dish should be. It goes well with any red meat, smoked meats.
Cheeses are also suitable for it, but you need to take into account the strength and age of the drink. The older and stronger, the younger the cheese should be.
If we are talking about fish for red wine, then it should be fatty and cooked with the addition of herbs and spices. You can apply lightly salted salmon to semi-sweet varieties.
A limited number of red wines are paired with fruits and desserts. Such wines should be sweet, with fruity notes.
For rosé wines, the ideal accompaniment is a plate of fruit or cheeses with honey. Sweet pastries and desserts are a great addition to a glass of rosé.
From meat, you can recommend pates, baked meat in a sweet sauce.
Pairs especially well with fish and seafood. They can be cooked and served as you like and with whatever sauces you like.
What is the difference between red and rosé wines
So, having examined in detail the popular grape varieties and the possibility of making red and rosé wines from them, I came to the conclusion that, although the same varieties are used for them, there is still one indisputable difference.
It lies in the fact that classic red wines should be rich, tart, with an astringent note, and only occasionally a fruity-floral note is allowed.
For rosé wines, such a fruity note, on the contrary, is just very suitable. They perfectly quench your thirst, you do not need to pick up a special snack for them, unless you combine them with fried meat.
Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health. Take care of yourself!
Personally, I choose rosé for its sweet aromatic notes. What do you prefer?