Warm weather is finally here, which means it's time to break out the Rose wine bottle. But are you stumped when it comes to ordering wine online or at a restaurant or in a shop with wine store California signs on the door? Do you get a rose and blush wine mixed up? If you're nodding your head "yes", don't worry - you're not alone. In this blog post, we'll explore the difference between rose and blush wine so that you can order with confidence the next time.
How is Rose Wine Made?
Before we start the differences, we should take a quick look at making rose wine. First, we need to know that the juice of almost all grape types is white, but the red and rose color of wines is derived from its fermentation with its skin, which contains color and tannin. The amount of color depends on this time and technique of contact with skins.
The most common method of making rose wine is direct pressing or limited skin maceration. As it is mentioned above, the color intensity of wine depends on the time of skin contact. So, rose wines have a very similar production process to red wines, only that the time of skin contact differs.
The other rose wine production method, especially around California, is the Saignee method. There is a bled-off during the first hours of the red winemaking process. This is separated for rose wine, and the rest of the juice is used for red wine. This unique style produces rich and bolder rose wines which are intense in color.
If you want to see how much rose wine is available on the market, and see how it is popular, check out this online wine store.
The Difference Between Rose and Blush
The names can be confusing, but simply at the end of the day, ‘rose,’ ‘blush’ or ‘pink’ all refer to wine, not red or white. Rose wines have a range of colors from the slightest pink to a dark magenta. Besides, there is no legal definition. Blush wines are made mostly from dark-skinned red grapes and have a color of ‘blush,’ so we can say that all roses are blush, but not all blushes are rose.
In around the 1970s, when American wine lovers have fallen in love with rose wines, Californian winemakers tried to produce these wines like in France but in a slightly different way, with the dark-skinned red grape-like zinfandel. Sutter Home was one of the first producers and named their wine “White Zinfandel.” It was accidentally on the sweet side, but now this style still has a big reputation. The term blush came into existence through a color disparity pointed out by the visit of Wine writer Jerry Mead to Mill Creek Winery in 1976. Due to the pretty pink color, Mead suggested the term “Blush” in a joking manner, and soon after, it became a trademark worldwide.
Although blush does not refer to any special production method, winemakers prefer to use it to describe the style of wine; it is about the sugar level and alcohol level, freshness, and fruit-forwardness. Like Mill Creek Winery has a less colored dry rose, some South France wineries have some fairly-sweet blush wines with pronounced fruit flavors.
So, what does this mean for the taste? Ross is typically lighter and fruitier than blush wine, which can be a bit sweeter. If you're looking for a light and refreshing wine, go for a ross. If you want something a little sweeter, a blush wine may be a better choice. But ultimately, the best way to decide which one you like is to try them both, and the good news, you can find both at online wine stores.
Source by- https://www.zupyak.com/p/3234451/t/what-is-the-difference-between-rose-and-blush-wine
