· By Canned Wine Co.
Understanding Rosato
Rosato is simply Italian Rosé… sort of. This depends on how you classify wine, just like how most would hesitate to class ‘orange wine’ as Rosé, some would say Rosato is unique in its own ways. Known for darker colours and more intense flavours, the world of Rosato is an interesting one, filled with a range of aromas, flavours, grapes and regions. For most, the Rosato group falls into the ‘Rosé’ category, but that’s up for you to decide yourself.
What is Rosato and how is it different
As we said, Rosato is simply the Italian translation for Rosé, and fundamentally that’s the only requirement for a wine to be a Rosato. A pink wine made in Italy, with Italian grapes. However, these wines have characteristics that will often distinguish them from their better known French siblings, like Provence Rosés made from Pinot Noir or Grenache.
Rosatos are known for being darker, some almost closer to red wine in colour than a typical, pale Provence Rosé. Although there are a few different ways to make Rosé, most Rosatos are produced the same way as most other Rosés, using red grapes but only leaving the wine in contact with the grape skins for a couple hours. Rosato is usually left in contact with the grape skins for slightly longer and the grapes themselves are typically darker than most used in french Rosé, producing a darker wine. Darker Rosé usually has more intense flavour, cherry and cranberry are typical, making them well suited to be an all-year wine, even in these winter months!
This Rosato is not one to miss, if we do say so ourselves. To create a deep and complex combination of flavours, we have used a blend of four grapes, Primitivo, Negroamaro, Nero di Troia and Aleatico. Each grape brings a unique characteristic to the wine, combining to create a medley of fruity flavours and floral aromas. Our Rosato is made in the famous winemaking region of Puglia, known for outstanding beauty and even better wine. It’s Mediterranean climate makes it ideal for producing rich, ripe grapes packed with flavour. You can shop our Rosato here.
Other Italian Rosato
We’re not the only ones who choose to make and drink Rosato from Puglia, plenty of winemakers produce Rosatos here and plenty of people like you and me drink their wine! This region in the very South of Italy has all the qualities to produce flavoursome and reliably good Rosato, with the Primitivo and Negroamaro grape varieties dominating. You can find out all about Puglia and it’s other wines in our blog ‘Discover Puglia Wine: Why the region is loved by winemakers and drinkers’
If you head further North into central Italy, you’ll find the Sangiovese grape being used for a large portion of Rosatos. The region of Abruzzo is known for making high quality Rosato, using Sangiovese and Montepulciano grapes, and has a specific classification of Rosato from the region called Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo.
keep heading North and you’ll reach Veneto, another region growing in popularity for it’s Rosato-making ability. Rosato here often uses a grape native to the region, Corvina. This grape often produces sour cherry flavours and subtle colours. In this Northern region, You’ll see Rosato starting to look like a more familiar, pale Rosé, but still with that Italian flair of flavour.
Of Course, Rosato is produced all across Italy, honourable mentions go to Tuscany and Lombardy, formidable winemaking regions in their own right. No matter what Rosato you go for, we recommend trying a few because of the massive range of flavours, you would be doing an injustice to yourself if you didn’t! If you don’t want to start with a whole bottle, we’ve got just the can for you ;)
