National Rosé Day Date in the current year: June 8, 2024

A lot of people think that rosé wine is made by mixing red wine with white wine, but it is just a common misconception. While blending is sometimes used to produce sparkling wines, this method is generally discouraged; in France it is actually forbidden by law, except for the Champagne wine region.

Most rosé wines are produced with the skin contact method, where the skins of black-skinned grapes are allowed to remain in contact with the grape juice during maceration (for two to twenty hours) but are discarded before fermentation. In contrast, white wines are produced without maceration, and in the production of red wines, the skins are separated from the wine after fermentation.

Depending on the grape variety used and winemaking techniques, the color of rosé can range from pale pink to a vivid, almost orange hue. It is believed that most ancient and medieval red wines actually resembled modern-day rosé because darker wines with a high tannin content were considered to be of lower quality.

For a long time, the French winemakeing region of Provence was the main center of rosé production. Rosés account for half to almost two thirds of all the wine produced in Provence. However, it was Portuguese sweet, lightly sparkling rosé wines (namely Mateus and Lancers) that conquered the mass European and North American markets after World War II. Other European countries that produce rosés are Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

The trademark American “blush” wines emerged in the 1970s. Back then, white wine enjoyed a particularly high demand, and winemakers didn’t have enough white wine grapes available to satisfy the demand. California producers started to use red wine grapes, such as Zinfandel, to produce white wines.

In 1975, some 1,000 gallons of Zinfandel juice at Sutter Home Winery experienced a stuck fermentation, resulting in a sweet, rose-colored wine. The winemaker put it aside for two weeks, then upon tasting he liked the wine and decided to bottle and sell it, and the rest is history. The marketing name “blush” for relatively sweet rosé wines was invented at Mill Creek Vineyards.

Over the years, rosé has become a popular summertime drink in the United States (for example, blush-style White Zinfandel has six times the sales of red Zinfandel wines), so it is not surprising that National Rosé Day is celebrated in summer. The best way to celebrate it is to invite your friends over for a pink party, attend a rosé wine tasting (or even host one), or experiment with refreshing rosé cocktails.

One of the best things about rosé wines is that they are very versatile. These wines can work with all sorts of dishes, including charcuterie, soft cheeses, fresh salads, white meats, light appetizers, grilled fish, seafood, sashimi and sushi, fruity desserts, fresh fruit, and more.