Rosés of the Languedoc

We are thrilled that our new rosés have arrived! These beauties tend to sell out quickly, so we invite you to check them out here.

Languedoc rosés are some of the best in the world. What gives them their gorgeous pink, peach, and rose colors? How is a rosé wine made, versus a red or a white?

Wine color is derived from the pigment in grape skins. The shade depends on how long the skins are in contact with the juice prior to fermentation.  White wines have little or no contact, whereas red wines have considerable contact. Rosés fall somewhere in between and can exhibit a range of lovely pink and orange hues within a span of a few hours. 

The two main vinification methods for rosés are pressurage and saignée. 

With pressurage, freshly harvested grapes are loaded into a tank or a press for several hours and then gently pressed to drain the juice. The juice is chilled in a tank, yeast is added, and slow alcoholic fermentation begins. 

With saignée, rather than being pressed by machinery, the individual grapes are crushed by the weight of the clusters themselves. The resulting juice, along with the skins, remains in the tank for several hours.  

The tank is then “bled” (thus the term saignée) through a tap at the base of the tank. The juice is chilled and yeast added, initiating a slow fermentation that converts the juice sugars into alcohol.

As with all Languedoc-Roussillon winemaking, innovation and creativity help create these world-class rosés.  

 

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