Is Your Rosé Wine Actually Good? 5 Clues To Spot A Quality Bottle Before You Open It

Forbes

17-05-2025

Look beyond the blush: A closer look at color, region, and label language can help you choose a rosé that delivers on flavor—not just aesthetics.
The rosé section at a wine shop is wide, brightly lit and often arranged by shade. But that doesn't make choosing any easier.
Rosé is one of the most visually driven categories in wine. Shoppers frequently rely on packaging, bottle shape and color to decide what to buy. Yet those aesthetic signals don't always correspond with quality. And with prices ranging from $10 to $100, there's little clarity around what defines a good bottle before the cork is popped or the screw cap is twisted.
Understanding how rosé is made, and what clues to read before opening it, can help narrow the options. And sometimes, that's enough.
Still, experienced winemakers agree that certain clues can offer guidance. Here are five things to consider.
Certain grapes, like grenache or syrah, can add body and complexity to a rosé's profile.
Rosé can be made almost anywhere, but some growing regions produce it with more precision and intent.
'Provence produces almost half of the rosé made in France, but represents only 5% of the entire world's production,' says Victor Joyeux, winemaker at Roseblood d'Estoublon, via email. 'In Provence, vineyards are grown specifically to make rosé. We don't make rosé to improve red wine quality.'
Jean-François Ott, managing director at Domaines Ott, supports this approach. 'Making a good rosé needs sun and warm weather,' he says. 'The south of France is ideal. Provence and Bandol have also the experience on this shade of wine.'
Other winemakers point to the connection between region and house style. 'Most regions have a collective way that they typically make a rosé,' says Jonathan Walters, vice president of winery and vineyard operations at Brassfield Estate Winery in California. 'For us in the High Valley AVA, our volcanic soils heighten what I think makes rosés so great. Volcanic soils have a distinctive minerality. I like to compare it to a salty component.'
That link between region, soil and method helps frame expectations. But grape variety also plays a key role.
The grape varieties used in rosé influence its texture, structure and balance.
Different grapes bring different textures and balance to rosé. Some create high-acid, citrus-driven wines. Others lend structure and depth.
'I believe that Syrah is an interesting grape variety to add structure into a blend,' says Joyeux. 'The challenge is to manage its color. On the other hand, low yield grape maceration time before pressing and aging on lees can help a lot with this as well.'
Ott uses a traditional southern French mix. 'For me, grenache, cinsault and mourvèdre,' he says. 'So you need grape varieties that bring you this balance.'
Walters notes that structure often depends on ripeness and acidity. 'Better-structured rosés come from better grapes,' he says. 'Better grapes for rosés are typically uniformly ripe at a lower brix and have great acid.'
These elements don't appear on the label. But the wine's color might offer a clue about how it was made.
Packaging choices, including bottle shape and closures, influence buying decisions more than taste.
The pink hue of rosé may guide buying decisions, but winemakers warn against using it as a measure of quality.
'Color has nothing to do with quality, but definitely a question of style,' says Ott. 'Dark rosés are often short or partial macerations and aromas rounded, sometimes slightly overripe. Light rosés are most often direct-pressed rosés, the most natural way to make fruit juice. They are usually fresh and fruity, and the best ones have delicate aromas and a silky texture.'
Joyeux says he looks closely at color before buying. 'I ask myself a few questions when I look at a bottle of rosé. Is it darker because of the grape variety? Are the purple hues coming from the use of Syrah in the blend? Is it light in color because it has been hand-harvested and whole bunch pressed to limit maceration?'
He avoids certain tones. 'I will be careful before picking a bottle of rosé that is dark orange, as it might be a sign of age or oxidation.'
Walters adds that the winemaking method directly influences color. 'Grapes that are picked and go directly to press are typically lighter than grapes that saignée off after time spent on the skins,' he says.
Higher prices may reflect careful production, but well-made rosé can still be found at lower cost.
It's tempting to assume a $40 bottle will outperform one that costs $12. But rosé pricing is more complex.
'There are many great rosés at many different price points,' says Walters. 'But I feel that the price point can mislead consumers. You should be able to get a great rosé for under $30.'
Ott stresses that consistency requires care. 'It's difficult to make a high-quality wine that's consistent from one vintage to the next without precise viticulture and vinification. This precision takes time and is therefore expensive.'
Joyeux adds that brand reputation can help. 'Usually, you can't really go wrong with a bottle above $20. I think this is when brands with solid reputations make the difference.'
Price alone won't reveal much about how long the wine should be aged. For that, the vintage label can be useful.
The vintage on a rosé bottle can offer clues about freshness, style and intended drinking window.
Many consumers ignore the vintage on rosé bottles, assuming it doesn't mean much. Winemakers say it often does.
'We tend to jump on the new release every year,' says Joyeux. 'I like to drink it fresh but also after one year after bottling. Rosés that are made like great white wine with some aging before bottling will surprise people with their ageability.'
But compared to champagnes and red wines and even some white wines, you don't want to sit on rosé for too long.
'I think you should drink your rosé within four years,' Ott says. 'If the rosé is good quality, it will age very well, but the freshness will gradually give way to more evolved fruit aromas.'
Packaging choices, including bottle shape and closures, can influence buying decisions more than taste.
Clear bottles, screw caps and stylish labels all shape how a rosé is perceived. But these cues can be misleading.
'Looks like it is something quite important for rosé,' says Joyeux. 'Clear bottles work pretty well for a wine that is consumed in less than two years, but it is important to be careful as light can affect the wine. People also buy rosé a lot because they like the color of the wine.'
Ott compares the bottle to a restaurant setting. 'I think the bottle and the label are as much a part of taste as the plate or the decor of a beautiful restaurant.'
Packaging affects perception, not taste. It may help a bottle stand out on a shelf, but it won't change how it drinks.
Walters says that shoppers often decide by appearance. 'I believe a lot of people buy rosé by what color the wine is,' he says. 'Having a clear bottle definitely has its advantages when selling rosé.'