What’s that grape in my Rosé?

With summer approaching you may have noticed a preponderance of rosés in the wine department of your local store. Summer is often referred to as “rosé season,” but it runs all year in the Rabbler house. If you are shopping for a rosé to enjoy on a nice warm day, there are countless to choose from. But how to choose one?

If you choose a French rosé, which tend to be blends, reading the label you may come across grape varietals that you aren’t familiar with. Here is a handy list of some grapes that appear in rosés from around the world.

CINSAULT (pronounced sin~soh or sa~soh)

Cinsault is a grape from the southern Rhone Valley in France. The strawberry and floral notes in your rosé will come from this grape.

COUNOISE (pronounced koo/nwahz)

Like Cinsault, Counoise is another blending grape from France. It brings vibrant acidity and soft tannins to the wine while adding some raspberry notes to the flavor.

MOURVÈDRE (pronounced moor/vehdr)

If the rosé contains Mourvèdre, it will likely have notes of red fruit flavors, spice, herbs and maybe just a touch of sweetness.

These are just a few grapes you might come across when shopping for rosé this season. Rosés are being made from interesting varietals from all around the world so hopefully this post helps with your understanding and enjoyment of a wonderful wine style.

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