Everything’s in the pink this Valentine’s Day

WHERE once it was regarded as a fun wine but hardly taken seriously, the popularity of rosé has soared in recent years, both with the public and producers. Winemakers have finally woken up to its potential and there are some lovely examples – still and sparkling, with styles ranging from pale crisp to deep pink and sweet. And, if you needed an excuse, Valentine’ s Day provides the perfect opportunity to try a glass or two of the pink drink.

Aside from simply adding red wine to white (not often done), the pink colour comes from the skin of black grapes, and there are two main methods of making rosé. If rosé wine is the primary product, the maceration method is used.The grapes are crushed and left to rest, or macerate, in the juice for a brief period before the skins are discarded.

If red wine is the primary product, the saignée (from the French for “bleeding”) method is used. Some of the pink juice is “bled off” (removed) and fermented to make rosé wine. This also concentrates the red wine.

Rosé can be made from any red wine grape. Grenache produces a rich fruity wine, notably in south-eastern France and also Spain where it is called garnacha.

Pinot noir produces a delicate, elegant wine. Other grape varieties that are widely used are cinsault, sangiovese, merlot, syrah and cabernet sauvignon.

Rosé is very versatile and goes well with a wide range of dishes. It has some of the aromas and flavours of red wine but is served chilled and is refreshing.The pale crisp style goes well with salads and seafood, while the medium-bodied dry styles are perfect for salmon, chicken, lamb and duck.