Pink, pretty pink. Good enough to drink!
Photo credit: Wines of British Columbia
Pink, pretty pink. Good enough to drink! Yes, I opened with a line from Lizzo’s song in the Barbie movie. It’s apt.
On the fourth Friday in June, the world celebrates International Rosé Day. The holiday originated in Provence, the southern French region famous for this wine style. Although rosé has been a staple there for centuries, the inaugural celebration was just in 2018. It should be no surprise that rosé has enjoyed a monumental rise in popularity over recent decades. It no longer gets the side-eye, as a victim of assumptions and aspersions. Most of the time you can expect a dry, refreshing, fruity wine. The advent of social media, especially photo-centric instagram, has almost certainly helped boost the global perception of rosé, with its attractive range of hues. It’s definitely the most beautiful wine to look at. On top of that, rosé offers a unique and refreshing alternative to traditional red and white wines, especially for younger wine enthusiasts. Most importantly, it’s a fantastic wine style, just as worthy of appreciation, curiosity, and discovery as any other.
Not only has interest in rosé grown in the past 20 years, but the quality as well. Like all wines, rosé has benefitted from improvements in winemaking technology and vineyard management, and the results speak for themselves. Rosé has been recognized as its own category at the All Canadian Wine Awards since 2001, and at the National Wine Awards of Canada since 2017. International publications like Decanter also have awards specifically for rosé wines.
Rosé wines can be made with any of the same grapes used for red wine. In Provence it’s usually Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Syrah, and others. In BC, producers use whatever grows best on their lands. This is often Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, or Cabernet Franc. It can be a blend, but is more frequently single-varietal.
How is rosé made? It’s a relatively straightforward but still very technical process to produce quality wines. Some are made via direct pressing, where the juice is pressed out of the grapes and immediately separated for fermentation. This method results in the most delicately coloured wines, as skin contact is minimized.
Others are produced with a brief period of maceration. Since colour and tannins as well as aromatic compounds are extracted from the grape skins, the right balance is needed by the winemaker to achieve fruity character, freshness, aroma, and minimize astringency.
The saignée method, which draws off lightly tinted wine early during red wine making, can also be used to produce rosé, and more concentrated red wine at the same time. The vast majority of rosé in BC is produced by direct pressing or short maceration. Either way, once the juice is separated from the skins, rosé is produced in the same manner as white wines. Lees contact can be employed to provide complexity and a creamier mouthfeel. Oak barrel aging is rarely used, but when it is, it is minimal. Rosé is always meant to be drunk young and fresh.
Although rosé is heavily marketed during warmer months, it is a delicious and versatile wine to be enjoyed year round. It is typically produced with 11-12% alcohol, and the best examples have food-friendly and mouth-watering acidity to go along with flavours of citrus, melon, red fruit, as well as floral and mineral character. They pair well with salads, seafood, grilled meats, cheeses, and off-dry examples with a little residual sugar can match well with spicy dishes.
Featured wines 2025
Red Bird Estate Winery 2023 Rosé
Representing the Kootenays, this rosé is a blend of two hybrid varieties - Marquette and Marechal Foch. As teinturier grapes, these have pigmented pulp as well as skins, and therefore produce rosé with more intense colour. This one is a deep Tavel red and smells of strawberries and cream, and cherry pie. The rich fruit character creates a medium+ body with spiced dark berries on the finish. A delicious and juicy dry rosé from resilient and hardy hybrids that deserve more attention.
Joie Farm 2024 Naramata Bench Rosé
A tasting room exclusive, this is the only VQA wine Joie Farm produced in 2024. Made from 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Pinot Auxerrois, this Naramata rosé is watermelon pink with juicy aromas of ripe strawberry, apple, and melon. Light and fresh with a lemon squeeze finish, this one is easy to enjoy all on its own. Act fast before all 70 cases are gone!
Monte Creek 2023 Living Land Rosé (Bronze, All Canadian Wine Championships and National Wine Awards of Canada)
Organic Marquette from their Thompson Valley estate is used for this blood orange-hued rosé. The nose and palate offer bright red cherries and raspberry and a touch of spice. It’s structure-forward with zippy acidity but fruit concentration to back it up. Perfectly mouthwatering, and best with food.
Corlan Vineyards 2023 Eagle Rock Rosé (Gold, Wine Systems AG)
A combination of Ortega and hybrid grape Leon Millot go into this organic, Denman Island rosé. Pouring a deep watermelon pink, the nose is vivid and complex with fruit (dried cranberry, raspberry, gooseberry) and savoury/earthy elements (fresh herbs, peach pit, river rock). It’s juicy and well balanced, perfect for warm island days and worth seeking out.
Domaine Artema 2023 Rosé
A unique and complex creation of 51% Merlot, 32% Carménère, 13% Syrah, and 4% Gamay. The Syrah and some of the Merlot were whole cluster pressed, and the Gamay was added post-fermentation. This pale pink-orange rosé delicately radiates citrus and tart, under ripe strawberry on the nose. Structurally sound, strawberries and cream linger on the finish. Light and lean, a proper rosé de piscine.
Free Form 2019 Cabernet Franc Rosé
Curious that a 6 year old rosé is the current offering, but it’s as fresh as ever. A pale orange hue, this is Osoyoos Cabernet Franc made in Summerland style with concrete fermentation and extended lees aging. Bright citrus and red berries, dried lemon peel, nectarine skin, a savoury edge and saline spritz on the nose. Creamier textured, there’s enough acidity to frame all the flavours and the finish is dry, fruity and crisp. Youthful and yet serious.
Sandhill 2023 Rosé
Sandhill’s Rosé is always a blend of multiple varieties, this time Pinot Noir (65%), Merlot (13%), Petit Verdot (10%), Syrah (7%) and Cabernet Franc (5%). Pretty, pale salmon in hue, with equally pretty aromatics of citrus, strawberry, melon, and peach. Refreshing acidity is balanced by plenty of ripe fruit giving a faux sweetness, and a pleasant finish of red berries and watermelon. Still quite hot for the rosé category (14.3% abv), but with all that ripe fruit you won’t really notice it. Complicated origins but in the glass it’s simple and really enjoyable.
Kismet 2023 Infinity Rosé
Winemaker Manpreet Dhaliwal (Canada’s first South Asian female winemaker) uses the saignée method to draw juice from fermenting Cab Sav, Merlot, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre. This pale salmon rosé is brimming with melon, apple, apricot, and honeysuckle. The aromas and flavours are ripe and defined, and the smidge of sweetness is balanced by a gentle acidity. There’s a moscato-like blossomy sweetness from nose to finish. A floral beauty.
Seven Directions 2024 Rosé Cuvée
For this vintage, winemaker Daniel Bontorin turned to the Fraser Valley when there was no fruit available in the Okanagan. Blending Pinot Noir, Gamay, Pinot Gris, and Gewürztraminer, the wine received extensive lees stirring while fermenting in stainless steel. The colour is the palest shade of cantaloupe. There is some citrus, pear, and tart berry on the nose, dominated by an intense mineral character. The high acidity and dryness are left stark with only subdued flavours of plum skin and grapefruit pith to support. Very edgy but should perform well with food and acid-freaks.
Seven Directions 2023 Cabernet Franc Rosé
Young Cabernet Franc vines from a single vineyard in Osoyoos were the source of this rosé, which was crushed and pressed without skin contact, yielding a very pale pink-orange. Cool, stainless steel fermentation keeps the nose crisp and snappy with aromas of strawberry, green plum, and citrus. The palate is dry and tart with ripe red berries on the medium+ finish. This is what you get when you have austere acidic structure but the fruit concentration to match it. Sophistication and elegance.
Bartier Bros 2024 Pristine Rosé | Columbia Valley, Washington
A fairly large production at 2800 cases, this Rosé blends Cabernet Sauvignon (94%) with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Riesling (3%, 2%, and 1%, respectively). Whereas some Cab Sav-based rosés may get darker in character with some green/earthy elements, this one is smartly light and crisp. Cantaloupe orange in colour, bright notes of red currant, red apple, raspberries and strawberries, and nectarines in yogurt. The palate is delicately poised and driven by structure (but not lacking in fruit concentration), with a grapefruit finish. A spot-on rosé, and unbeatable at $17.99.
Fort Berens 2024 ‘Here and There’ Series Rosé | Wahluke Slope, Washington
Made from 27-year old Syrah vines that produce small, concentrated and characterful clusters. Three pressings (due to the volume of fruit vs capacity of the press) gave 3 distinct juices, which were blended prior to stainless fermentation. Its shade of strawberry-watermelon rouge hints at what’s inside. Aromas of rhubarb, watermelon, and strawberries with their leaves - elements with a nature that is both green and red. Fresh acidity, macerated strawberries and other pristine red berries pop on the palate, followed by a slightly creamy, cranberry finish. There’s a new rosé in town!
Poplar Grove 2024 ‘Cascadia’ Series Rosé (Club Member Exclusive) | Wahluke Slope & Yakima Valley AVAs, Washington
Malbec is a rare but smart choice for rosé making, and one Poplar Grove is used to. This one comes from two different regions of the Columbia Valley, supplemented with 8% Muscat. Fermentation of press fractions was conducted in their Penticton home cellar, all stainless and low temperature. Rosy hibiscus pink in colour, this rosé offers quite a lot of red and black fruit like plum, dark cherry, loganberry, and watermelon, along with pear drop, violets, and honeysuckle. Gentle acidity tickles the rear palate, with tart blackberries closing off the fruity finish. Unique for its darker berry profile - thanks Malbec!
Tightrope 2024 Slackline Rosé | Yakima Valley, Washington
100% Syrah from Yakima Valley was fermented in stainless steel and aged 3 months on the lees. A shade of briefly steeped rosehip tea, this rosé is crisp and tight with tart cherries, strawberries, red liquorice, grapefruit, sweet basil, and bramble on the nose. The main theme on the palate is lip smacking tart red fruit. The wine is dry and medium-bodied and is led by electric, tangy acidity. Unironically well-balanced and delicate.
Mayhem 2024 Rosé | Wahluke Slope, Washington
A very attractive pale pink rosé of 100% Merlot. The nose is beautiful and expressive with ripe strawberries, rhubarb, liquorice, and river rocks. A little bump of about 5 g/L residual sugar isn’t detectable as sweetness (the wine is dry), but it does nicely plump up the juicy fruit-forward body of this easy-drinking rosé. Connoisseurs may want a bit more acidity but as it is, this is still very lovely, soft, clean, and crisp.
Blasted Church 2024 Grenache Rosé | Horse Heaven Hills, Washington
Grenache is always a great choice although not familiar to BC rosé drinkers. The southern Columbia Valley can provide the dry heat needed to ripen this red variety. Fermentation and aging took place in neutral French oak barrels. A Niçoise blush, with a vivacious nose of strawberries and cream, rhubarb, Rainier cherry, tomato leaf, and yellow plum. Palate is dry and leads with tart raspberries, and is animated by a delicate chalky texture. An exciting start to rosé season!
Dirty Laundry 2024 Hush Rosé | Yakima Valley, Washington
This pale salmon-flesh-coloured rosé of 100% Washington Syrah smells of gooseberry, raspberry, underripe strawberry, peach, and a grassy herbaceousness. Approachably off dry, the wine is structured with tart red berry acidity, and charmed by a yummy finish of juicy strawberries and peaches. This is for everyone, but Sauvignon Blanc lovers especially will enjoy the clean, crisp presentation with some green fruit and herbaceous aromas.
Winemakers CUT 2024 Rosé | Yakima Valley, Washington
Unconventionally (at least for BC) composed of both Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, pressed immediately without any skin contact. The resulting rosé is a handsome pale salmon colour. Fermentation proceeded over 4 months in stainless steel. The nose is strikingly expressive, predominantly of the Cabernet family’s green qualities - bell pepper and currant leaf. Dressing the salad is a tart red currant-strawberry vinaigrette, and the structure is pretty much right on the money. The vegetal character makes this wine unique for the local rosé sector.
As a category, rosé is obviously thriving and shows no signs of fading. The interest from wineries to participate in this article was overwhelming, and came from all over the province. It is also interesting to note, and reassuring for this category, that of the new 2024 wines being released now made from non-BC fruit, the rosés are consistently delivering something special.
I hope I’ve dispelled some misconceptions and maybe convinced you that rosé wines have much more to offer than just a summer fling. They’re anything but basic. Bring a rosé to your next picnic, backyard barbecue, romantic dinner, or evening alone on the couch. Make sure there’s a rosé available at your wedding, corporate party, or other formal event. No one in any of these scenarios will be disappointed!
Pink: goes with everything!
This Blog Post was written by our contributor: Matt Tinney with MT Wine Consulting (@mtwineconsulting).