What Is Rosé Anyway? Your Easy Guide to the Pink Drink

Rosé is the pink wine you start drinking once it's open-window season — but do you really know what it is? You might be tempted to think that rosé refers to the type of grape. After all, Chardonnay is made from Chardonnay grapes, Pinot Noir is made from Pinot Noir grapes, so rosé is made from rosé grapes, right? Not exactly.

Rosé is a color-based category of wine, much like white or red wine. There is no grape varietal called “rosé” just like there isn’t one called “white” or “red.”

Now, brace yourself for a potentially surprising fact: The juice inside almost all wine grapes is clear (or slightly greenish)—yes, even red grapes. What gives wine its color is the pigment from the grape skin. Ready for another shocker? Most still rosés are made from red grapes (often the same ones used to make red wine), not pink grapes.

So why is rosé pink instead of fully red? The grape juice spends just a short time in contact with the grape skins before they're removed. That brief skin contact (called maceration) gives rosé its signature pink hue. While blending red and white wine is generally not permitted for still rosé in most traditional wine regions, it's commonly used to make sparkling rosé, especially Champagne.

You may have heard rosé called "summer water." The nickname comes from the light, crisp, refreshing style that's perfect for hot weather. But there are actually countless styles of rosé. There's no reason to relegate it to one season when there are plenty of rosés that deserve a spot on the table all year long.

Another misconception is that rosé is an unserious wine that's just meant for casual occasions, like brunches and picnics. The truth is, there are layered, complex rosés that hold their own alongside everything from easy appetizers to Thanksgiving menus and holiday dishes.

Another misconception is that rosé is an unserious wine that’s just meant for casual occasions, like brunches and picnics. The truth is, there are complex and substantial rosés that can be paired with all kinds of food, including easy appetizers, Thanksgiving menus and holiday dishes.

Ahead, we're diving into the many different flavors of rosé, how to tell if a bottle is sweet or dry and which foods make it shine.

Ahead, we're diving into the many different flavors of rosé, how to tell if a bottle is sweet, as well as foods that make a terrific match for this versatile wine.

Many factors determine the flavor of a rosé.

The taste depends on the type of grapes used and where they are grown. For instance, the pale blush rosés from Provence, France, tend to be light, crisp and dry with notes of berries and peaches. Rosés from California, on the other hand, are often rounder and fuller-bodied with aromas of watermelon and citrus. You can find rosés from nearly every wine region, each reflecting the signature style of where it was made.

Here are just some of the common flavor notes:

• Fruit: berries, cherries, melons, tropical fruit, citrus, peaches and other stone fruit
• Floral: rose, honeysuckle, hibiscus, violet
• Other: minerals, herbs, grass, spices, hard candy

As a general rule, rosés from France, Italy, Germany and Austria tend to be crisper and higher in acid, whereas many rosés from Spain and the New World (the United States, South America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa) lean riper and fruitier. That said, producer and winemaking style matter just as much as geography.

Most rosés are not sweet at all.

Here’s the good news: Most rosés are dry.

Yes, some are, but the vast majority of rosés are not sweet—and many are actually bone-dry. How can you tell if a rosé is sweet or dry? The word sweet" in the name is often a dead giveaway.

You can also check the ABV (alcohol by volume) on the label. Dry rosés are often in the range of 12% to 13% ABV. Sweet ones are frequently lower in alcohol (often 7% to 11% ABV) because the wine retains residual sugar that otherwise would have fermented into alcohol. Some inexpensive sweet wines may also have sweetness adjusted during winemaking, depending on local regulations and production methods.

It’s not a foolproof rule, but, in general, the lower the ABV, the sweeter the wine. Take White Zinfandel, a slightly sweet style of rosé. The label will often reveal an ABV in the 8% to 10% range.

You can find rosés in all shades of pink.

Someone call Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman because it’s time to bust the myth that darker rosés are sweeter. You can find this wine in every shade of pink, ranging from barely-there ballet-slipper blush to practically ruby, where it starts to resemble a very light red wine.

The darker color can be due to longer skin contact or grape varieties with naturally darker, more deeply pigmented skins. That extra skin contact can also contribute more tannin and body, but it doesn't tell you how sweet the wine is. If anything, many darker rosés are completely dry.

Rosé loves food, and the feeling is mutual. It has a natural affinity for dishes from southern France and the surrounding Mediterranean, but there are so many styles of rosé that you can pair one with just about anything. Remember that this is a category of wine based on color, not one grape variety, so it spans a huge range of styles, from light, crisp and bone-dry to fuller-bodied, fruitier and more supple.

Another thing to keep in mind is matching weight for weight. Pair delicate rosés with foods that are similarly light on their feet, like salads, shellfish and mild fish. Bigger, fuller-bodied rosés can stand up to more substantial fare, like hearty pastas, grilled meats and even burgers.

Wondering what to avoid? Very rich cream sauces can overwhelm lighter rosés, though fuller-bodied or oak-aged rosés can absolutely work with creamy dishes. Dry rosés can also make spicy foods seem even hotter, so if you're serving heat, look for a fruitier rosé with a touch of residual sugar.

The following is a list of some of our favorite types of foods to pair with rosé:

• Southern French, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and North African foods: Ratatouille; bouillabaisse; hummus, babaganoush and mezze platters; chickpea, chicken or lamb tagine
• Seafood: Especially salmon dishes, smoked salmon and grilled shrimp; all shellfish, especially mussels; tinned fish
• Pasta: Especially puttanesca, pasta alla Norma, seafood pasta with tomatoes and pasta in pink sauces
• Tomatoes and tomato-based dishes: Tomato salad, Caprese salad, bruschetta, tomato tart
• Chicken and “other” white meats: Turkey, veal, pork (especially grilled pork or roasted pork),
• Salads: Especially Niçoise salad, Greek salad and anything with olives or anchovies
• Cheese: Young cheeses, like mozzarella and fresh goat cheese; feta; soft, creamy cheeses (especially with sparkling rosé)
• Charcuterie: Prosciutto, salami and Spanish jamón (especially with sparkling rosé)
• Pizza: Margherita, tomato and ricotta or vegetable toppings (especially with sparkling rosé)