The Rosé Wine Comeback – What Sparked It?

When we think about Italian wines, we tend to divide them into two categories – red and white. Even with sparkling wines, we essentially look at them as variations of the traditional red and white formulas.

What about Rosé wines?

A lot of the time, we don’t even consider them when talking about wines. That tells us that many consumers look at Rosé as a bit of a novelty. It’s a fun little drink to have on a night out but it generally falls far short of the more “serious” wines.

At least, that seemed to be the opinion a few years ago.

And we believe that it’s an unfair opinion. Rosé wines offer an interesting middle ground between reds and whites. As importantly, producers work just as hard to bring these types of wine to the public.

It really is about time that they started to get the respect that they deserve.

And over the last couple of years, that respect seems to be coming Rosé’s way. We’ve seen a continued climb in buying numbers for this type of wine. And perhaps it’s about time that Rosé enters the pantheon of wine varieties that people cherish and enjoy.

We’re living through the great Rosé wine comeback!

But that leads us to the question of what sparked the resurrection of Rosé. Why has a wine that many saw as a bit of a gimmick finally started to get the respect that it deserves?

We can think of a few reasons.

Reason #1 – The Change in Trends in the United States

Much like how people viewed Rosé wines, the United States has always been seen as a bit of an also-ran in the global wine industry. While its producers certainly make some amazing vintages, many believe that they don’t quite stack up to the products of the titans of the industry, such as France and Italy.

It’s a really unfair viewpoint.

And it’s also a viewpoint that disregards how important the United States is in terms of influencing wine trends. It’s one of the largest wine-buying countries in the world and the trends that start there often spread to other territories.

One such trend is an increasing fondness for Rosé wines!

It began in 2013, when millennial consumers started to change the perception of Rosé in the country. Previously seen as a sweet wine made using leftover grapes, Rosé gained a new level of respect from this emerging market. Many began to see the wine as a sign that you’re living the good life. And this changing viewpoint has led to growing sales, year-on-year, in the United States.

Do not underestimate the influence of this wine powerhouse.

This continued trend in the US is starting to find its way into other countries. Slowly but surely, people all over the world are starting to see Rosé as more than just the little sibling of the more prestigious types of wine.

Reason #2 – It’s A Versatile Type of Wine

As much as we love discovering which wines pair well with which types of food, we have to admit that it can occasionally be tiresome. When all you want to do is sit down with a nice meal and some wine, you may not be in the mood for experimenting. And of course, there are those who just don’t have the patience for food pairing in the first place. They just want to grab a bottle of wine that will go with anything that they choose to eat.

That’s where Rosé comes in.

As we mentioned earlier, this type of wine falls into the middle ground between whites and reds. This makes it one of the more versatile types of wine around when it comes to food pairing.

No matter what you’re eating, it’s likely that a Rosé wine will go pretty well with it.

Of course, the wine isn’t perfect in this regard. There are still some foods that you’re likely not pair with eat, particularly those of a very savoury nature. Still, this enhanced versatility makes Rosé a popular catch-all choice for the wine lover who doesn’t want to spend ages picking a drink.

Reason #3 – It’s Consistently Affordable

One happy side-effect of Rosé wine never having the level of prestige that it deserves is that many producers simply can’t charge too much for it. If they start applying premium prices to Rosé wines, it’s likely that consumers will turn their noses up at it.

That’s a good thing for you as a consumer.

It means that this type of wine will generally always be affordable to you. And better yet, even the highest-quality bottles of Rosé are very unlikely to leave a big dent in your bank balance.

Reason #4 – Greater Accessibility

We can’t ignore the influence of the internet in the growing acceptance of Rosé wines.

Let’s take the UK as an example. Back in the 1970s, the country saw Rosé as little more than a novelty. While the wine type wasn’t actively reviled, it wasn’t held to a high standard either. People just assumed that a Rosé would give them a middling wine experience.

That consensus changed with the advent of the internet for two reasons.

First, the web gave consumers access to high-quality examples of Rosé. No longer held back by whatever stock that stores had, people could explore every aspect of Rosé and find examples that they like.

Second, the web is also a valuable informational tool. Today, you can jump online and find out everything that you need to know about the wine that you’re about to buy.

This combination of information and access has played a large part in helping Rosé redefine the general opinion of the wine that many hold.

The Final Word

It would be inaccurate to claim that Rosé wines are held in the same esteem as their white and red siblings.

But they’re getting there.

As each year goes by, consumers respect this type of wine more. The sales figures reflect that. And if you want to get on the bandwagon, there’s no better place to start than the Xtrawine Rosé selection.