Rosé: A cooler version of your favorite red wines

Now pouring new vintages from France, Italy, Spain, U.S.

In vibrant hues of pink, orange, salmon, raspberry and more, the 2025 rosés have arrived at Sip like a lovely summer sunset west of the Chattahoochee.

Usually produced in limited quantities, rosé is fresh, fruity, easy-drinking and fun, and meant to be enjoyed straight away. Perfect for summer evenings on the porch, Sunday brunch or a night by the grill, rosé is one of the most versatile wine styles.

If you’ve  been coming to Sip long enough, you know that not all the pink drinks are sweet. White Zinfandel hasn’t been a thing since big hair and parachute pants, people! In fact, the rosés we feature are dry styles and premier examples made in top regions around the world.

Give rosé a chance

But even if it’s not your preferred style, don’t be so quick to write off rosé. Variety is the spice of life, or WINE life, and there’s always an opportunity to discover a new favorite!

Made like a typical red wine with minimal skin contact from red grape varieties – Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Grenache/Garnacha, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and more – think of rosé as a lighter, cooler version of your favorite reds. A tasty way to quench the inevitable heat and humidity of Georgia summers!

So how does rosé get its beautiful color? It all lies in the precise way it’s made. Color in wine comes from the skins of grapes, so the specific shade depends on how long the fermenting juice sits in contact with the crushed grape skins. Longer = deeper color. For most rosés, the skins are only in the juice for a few hours.

The geeky pinky stuff

There are four main ways a rosé wine can be made:

• Direct press – The same method as white wines; red grapes are picked, juice pressed out and skins removed immediately. This is the least amount of skin contact creating only the slightest tinge of color.
• Short Maceration – The grapes are picked, crushed, pressed and skins removed after only a few hours of contact with the fermenting juice.
• Blending – Blending white and red grapes or already made red and white wines together; this is the least common method of making rosé and most famously used in Champagne.
• Saignée – (French for bleeding) Removing some juice from a tank, barrel or amphora after minimal skin contact and setting it aside to make rosé, while the rest is destined to become regular red wine.

With many red grape varieties available to the winemaker and different winemaking techniques, not to mention the unique terroirs in famous regions like Sancerre and Provence (the world capital and standard for rosé), rosés are some of the most interesting and adaptable wines. They’re also the most visually appealing, which is why they’re always bottled in clear glass.

Often a gateway for white wine lovers to venture into reds, they pair with a wide variety of foods from light summer salads and vegetables to grilled chicken, salmon or burgers.

Hallmark aromas and flavors of rosé range from the lightest watermelon and bright cherry to richer raspberry and vibrant strawberries and cream. But no matter the color, rosés are all about freshness and not meant to age. That’s not to say you can’t enjoy last year’s vintage, but unlike big bold reds, the current 2025 rosés are destined for your glass, not your cellar.

Some 2025 rosés to try

On the Enomatic Machine:

• The Vice Fifa World Cup Edition Rosé

By the Glass:

• Chateau de Roquefort Corail

Newest Bottles:

• Domaine Gueneau Sancerre Rosé “Chavignolet”
• T. Berkley Rosé of Cabernet Franc
• Can Sumoi La Rosa
• Cotes de Provence

– By Alyson Walls, WSET Level 3