When in 2013 the renowned magazine Wine Spectator ranked Chateau Miraval Rosé 2012, a wine produced by Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt at their 35-bedroom estate in Provence, France, as the 'Best Rosé in the world' for that year, it was finally clear that rosé had become the next big thing.
In the last decade, global sales and reputation of rosé wine have both grown dramatically. The U.S. are the leading market: according to a 2015 Nielsen research, while U.S. table wine sales in 2015 increased at a rather modest 1.9% by volume and 5.3% in value, imported rosé grew by 56.4% volume (60.4% in value).
Sales of rosé in the U.S. have grown steadily for 12 years in a row (source: Wines of Provence).
If rosé can be considered a relatively recent trend, nonetheless this particular type of wine is deemed to predate both red and white as the most ancient wine ever made; unsurprisingly, as it is the most straightforward wine to make with the skin contact method.
Rosé is extremely popular in the UK, too. And while it was once considered just for girls, in recent years British male drinkers have massively shifted from pint beer glasses to pinkish wine cups. The wine expert Victoria Moore has been quoted for saying: "Rosé is now a status symbol. The gender stereotyping that once ghettoised pink wine as a drink for girls and big girls’ blouses is long gone".
This is evident to anyone walking in a London pub, particularly in Belgravia or Fulham.
Even if France is the largest producer for volume and value, Italy has a noteworthy reputation for producing excellent rosé wine, including “Rosato”, a variable of rosé wine alongside Chiaretto (typical of Lombardy and Veneto), Ramato (Friuli Venezia Giulia) and Cerasuolo (Abruzzo) - but the term is often used to refer to all pink wines.
Rosato is usually linked to Apulia, but it is also produced in other Italian regions. For instance, a noteworthy wine is Rosato Rosa di Montacuto Marche IGT by Moroder, produced in the Marche region. Made with Montepulciano, Sangiovese and Alicante nero grapes, it holds a bold, shimmering pink tone. The perfect drink for a warm Spring evening: Rosa di Montacuto pairs well with tomato-sauced pastas or rice, white-meat recipes and pizza(why not?).
Is your terrace ready for parties and dinners with friends and a lot of “Summerwater” (as rosé is often referred to in social media)? Libiamo!
