Rose Wine from Spain

Rose Wine is a type of wine that has some of the color typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn it pink. The pink color can range from a pale orange to a vivid near purple, depending on the grapes and winemaking techniques.

Skin contact

The first is used when rose wine is the primary product. Red skinned grapes are crushed and the skins are allowed to remain in contact with the juice for a short period. The grapes are then pressed, and the skins are discarded rather than left in contact throughout fermentation as with red wine making. Because the skins contain much of the strongly flavored tannin and other compounds, this leaves the wine tasting more similar to a white wine. The longer that the skins are left in contact with the juice, the more intense the color of the final wine.

Saignee

The second way called saignee, or bleeding, is used when the winemaker desires to impart more tannin and color to a red wine, and removes some pink juice from the must at an early stage, in a process known as bleeding the vats. The removed juice is then fermented separately, producing the rose as a by product of the red wine, which is intensified as a result of the bleeding, because the volume of juice in the must is reduced, and the must involved in the maceration is concentrated.

Blending

The third method, the simple adding of red wine to a white to impart color, is discouraged in most wine growing regions now except for pink Champagne, wine region. Even in Champagne many producers do not use this method.