Rosè History

Rosé is a style of wine that can be made with a variety of grapes and in a variety of ways. Rosé winemaking can be traced back to ancient Greece when much of the wine produced was diluted with water. During those times, it was considered civilized to dilute wine – only barbarians and drunkards that reigned terror drank pure wine. 

Diluting wine with water was not the only way the ancient Greeks made Rosé. Harvesters would crush red and white grapes together using their feet. The juice would then be placed into large ceramic containers for fermentation, resulting in a pink or pale red wine. By the sixth century, vines and rosé winemaking made their way to southern France where they gained popularity all around the Mediterranean. 

The American Rosé was first documented in Lodi, California in 1869 and was referred to as White Zinfandel. Its color derived from grape skins soaking in with the juice for a short period of time. However, the rise of “White Zin” did not make a splash until Sutter Home’s release in 1975. It is believed that the wine’s sugar didn’t fully convert to alcohol, thus resulting in a wine that was slightly sweet. Instead of trying to fix the problem, Sutter Homes decided to release the wine to the public and the risk paid off – Americans loved it!

Today, there are three primary methods of making Rosé and several grape varietals to choose from. On the palate, Rosés can range from being juicy and sweet to crisp and dry – or pale pink in color to translucent red. We recommend trying all styles to get a better sense of what you like!