One in 10 wine drinkers believe all rosé is made by mixing white and red, according to a poll. The color and flavor of most rosé, which is usually made from red grapes, is due to early harvesting of the grapes and the short time the crushed fruit’s skins remain in the juice. This type of wine can also be a byproduct of red winemaking — a process called ‘saignée’.
Although some winemakers in Australia and occasionally New Zealand make rosé from a blend of red and white wines, this is prohibited in the EU – with the exception of rosé champagne. This isn’t the only common misconception about wine, according to a poll of 2,000 adults by M&S. It found 49 percent of rosé drinkers typically consume this variety of wine at the wrong temperature.
According to experts, rosé should served between 7–13°C (44.6–55.4°F) and is best removed from the fridge 15 minutes beforehand.
Other common misconceptions in the first M&S #WineWorries ‘Mythbusting’ Report include that red wine should never be refrigerated and you should never add ice cubes to a glass. Winemaker for the retailer, Belinda Kleinig, said: “It’s a common misconception that rosé needs to be served ice cold. “And in fact serving wine too cold can mute its fruity flavours and hide some of the aromas.
“The optimum temperature for enjoying rosé is between 7–13°C, meaning it’s best to take it out of the fridge about 15 minutes to half an hour before drinking so it isn’t overchill.
