Rosé wine is as equally misunderstood as it is popular. We’ve seen plenty of charts breaking down the nuances in notes, pairings, and sweetness for pink, red and white wines. But we didn’t see a single Rosé wine sweetness chart that helped people find their favorite glass to delight their taste buds. 

We decided it was well pastime to do the right thing, answer the question “Is Rose winer sweet” once and for all by publishing our own official Rosé wine sweetness chart. 

Rosé wine has seen quite the resurgence in recent years. It’s become the go-to beverage to drink at brunch. And it’s the official summer wine touted by social media influencers and brunch aficionados the world over. 

Is Rose Wine Sweet?

But Rosé wine isn’t just for the summer, for brunch, for millennials, or for sweet wine enthusiasts. In fact, Rosé wine is the most diverse and versatile wine there is, and we’re sure you’ll find one you’ll love. 

While it may seem like just a new craze, Rosé wine is actually one of the oldest wine varietals. And there are many, many types of Rosé, each with their own unique aromas and delightful flavor profiles. 

Whether you love sweet Frosé slushies, or a blush wine as dry as the desert, these pretty-in-pink wine drinks have something to offer you. 

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But how do you know if a bottle of Rosé wine is sweet or dry? What are the best sweet Rosé wines – and the best dry ones? And what is a Rosé wine to begin with? With sales of Rosé growing at more than 40% annually, it’s time to make sure it’s understood. Let’s break it all down for you with a little history on this beautiful beverage. And we’ll add a handy Rosé wine sweetness chart to help you plan your next drinking day get-together. 

What is Rosé wine?

Rosé wines date all the way back to the 6th century BC in Southern France. They can be made using a number of methods. But generally include red wine grapes whose skins have only been allowed to sit with the fruit juice for a short period of time, imparting a hint of color. 

Nearly every type of red wine grape can be used to create a rosé. 

The subtle differences in grape variety and winemaking methods can make a huge difference in the sweetness and flavor of the Rosé wine. And it can also impact how they pair with meals. 

Rose wine can be made through the:

• Maceration Method (also known as Direct Press). Red wine grapes are pressed and sit in their own skins. Instead of letting the skins sit through the whole winemaking process, the skins are removed after anywhere from 2-24 hours. 
• Vin Gris Method. Vin Gris literally translates to “Gray Wine.” This is when red grapes are used to make a nearly white wine through extremely short maceration time. This style is popular for lighter red wine varieties like Pinot Noir.
• Saignée Method. The Saignée “sohn-yay” Method is a process that involves “bleeding off” a portion of red wine juice. The color is dependent upon time “on the skins.” It can be very light pink if it only has contact with the skin for a short time. Often, Saignee wines are mixed with other white wines – either blended or co-fermented – to extend and lighten the color more. 

Rosé wines are best enjoyed when chilled and served at between 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit. They can be served in a white wine glass, but are best enjoyed in specific Rosé wine glasses. These are either stemware with a short bowl and slight taper, or with a slightly flared lip. 

Because Rosé wines are made with so many methods and types of grapes their sweetness level and flavor profiles are all across the board. 

The only Rosé wine sweetness chart you need

To make Rosés easier to understand and pick out, we’ve created an official Rosé wine sweetness chart for you. 

Rosé wines can be anywhere from syrupy sweet to bone dry. Older Rosé varieties produced in France and Spain will generally be quite dry, while newer Rosé wines will often have more sweetness. Of course, there are many exceptions. These include the terroir of a region (the soil, weather, climate, etc) and the personal choices of the winemakers. 

Let’s take a closer look at the varieties on our Rosé wine sweetness chart. It ranks these wines from sweet to dry, to help you understand each of their distinct personalities. 

Sweet Rosé wines

Some sweet wine types are inherently sweet, while others are made that way through winemaking techniques. Really, any Rosé wine can be produced in a sweet style by not fermenting the fruit sugars into alcohol. This process is known as Stuck Fermentation.

If you are looking for the best sweet Rosé wine, then these three varieties are a sure bet: 

White Zinfandel 

Many people are confused about what White Zinfandel is. White Zinfandel wine is not a white wine, but in fact, a Rosé that was first created by accident. In the 1970s through a Stuck Fermentation episode at Sutter Home Winery in California. 

The team at Sutter Home decided to market the accidental product. And it became famous for its Sutter Home White Zinfandel, loved by a generation of wine drinkers for its sugary taste and affordable price. 

That’s not to say this drink hasn’t seen its own glow-up, though. White Zinfandel can actually fall along many places on the Rosé wine sweetness chart. From the sweetest to the driest of the dry Rose wine varieties. An example is our Russian River Valley Dry White Zinfandel. This is a bone Dry White Zinfandel we pour at our Sebastopol wine tasting room at our winery in Sonoma County.

It is full of fruity, melon notes, and pairs well with spicy foods. You can try pairing it with Thai or Indian cuisine, or even pork, mild cheeses, and creamy pastas.

White Merlot 

White Merlot is quite similar to White Zinfandel in production and taste. It was first marketed in the 1990s to compete with White Zinfandel. 

The Merlot wine grape is a black-skinned grape with pale flesh that produces a very pale colored osé wine. White Merlot is very berry-forward in taste – almost like a raspberry tart – with notes of cherry and honey as well.

This sweet Rosé is super food friendly. It pairs well with rich creamy foods, sour foods that contrast its sweetness, and even heavy meats and tomato sauces.

Pink Moscato

While Pink Moscato is often thrown in with Rosé wines because of its color, it is technically not a Rosé wine. Pink Moscato is a sweet dessert wine made from adding a tiny bit of Merlot or other red grape varietals to White Moscato wine. It is sometimes fortified, adding extra alcohol.

Moscato wines are so sweet because the fermentation is stopped very early on in the process. It also helps that Moscato grapes have a naturally high sugar content. 

Pink Moscato wines have notes of peach and apricot, as well as hints of cherry and berry. They play well with fruit, light desserts such as white cake with strawberries, and a whole variety of seafood options (so long as they aren’t covered in heavy cream sauces). 

Semi-sweet to off-dry Rosé wines

Some Rosés don’t fit squarely into the sweet or dry camp on the Rosé wine sweetness chart. That could be because of inherent qualities in the grape, or because of the large variation in sweetness within the variety. 

With these wines, it’s always best not to assume the sweetness level. So take a good look at the wine label to understand the notes and sugar content in the wine. 

Sparkling Rosé and Rosé Champagne

Sparkling Rosés are the perfect party drink. They are lightly sweet – almost creamy, with refreshing flavors of raspberry and rose. Sparkling Rosés are wonderful for celebratory toasts at any time of year, and pair well with anything from chicken to BBQ to chocolate! 

Rosé Champagne is the exception to the rule of Rosé wine creation. Champagne is the only region in France where it is legal to blend white and red wines together to create Rosé. That’s how this sparkling Rose is made. 

Rosé Champagne is bolder and more powerful than traditional Champagne. There are a wide range of grapes that can be used to make it. So the taste can be anywhere from dry to medium-sweetness. 

Montepulciano 

Montepulciano Rosé is a medium-bodied, cherry red wine from the Abruzzo region of Italy. The pigment-rich skins of the Montepulciano grape color the juice in an incredibly short amount of time, which creates its deep ruby color. 

Montepulciano Rosé has similar spices and fruit flavors to a European mulled wine. With notes of cinnamon, clove, dried fruit, and orange peel, this wine is clearly not just a summer beverage. It works well with salty cheeses and tomato-based sauces.

Sangiovese

Sangiovese grapes are Italy’s top grape variety, and yet, they are rarely used in Rosés. We think this is a shame, because they make a delightful Rose. You will usually find Sangiovese Rosés labeled as “Rosato” (the Italian word for pink). 

Sangiovese Rosés have red fruit flavors of cherry, strawberry, and raspberry, but also warm spices like clove, cumin, and allspice. They are bold enough to handle spicy curries, Moroccan couscous, and caprese salad. 

Some Sangiovese Rosés are a lovely balance between fruity and dry, while others fall squarely into the “dry” category. It’s always best to read the label on a Sangiovese Rosé to know where it will fall on the Rosé wine sweetness chart. 

Dry Rosé wines 

You may have noticed that many of the wines on our Rosé wine sweetest chart were on the drier side. In fact, dry Rosé is the most common style of Rosé produced around the world. 

Here is a list of some of the traditionally dry Rosé wines we recommend: 

Grenache 

Grenache grapes are the predominant variety used in Provence, and thus, you will sometimes hear the phrases Grenache Rosé and Provence Rosé used interchangeably. Provence Rosés often blend the Grenache grapes with those of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Grenache Rosés (especially those produced in Provence) are among the driest in the world. They typically have bright flavors of grapefruit, berries, watermelon, cucumber, and herbs, as well as distinctly floral qualities. They start with red fruit flavors at the forefront, but have a zesty, acidic finish. 

To increase the zestiness of the wine, it’s best to serve Grenache Rosé chilled. 

These dry Rosés are best paired with spiced and aromatic foods, like Moroccan and Indian cuisine. They also pair very well with Greek food, as well as dishes heavy in tomato, eggplant, and red pepper. 

Tavel

While Tavel is a region and not a grape – and Tavel Rosé is mostly comprised of Grenache grapes – we felt it deserved its own category. Made in the Rhône Valley in France, just north of Provence, Tavel Rosés are known for their spicy, assertive, tannin-heavy flavor.

This dark and intense Rosé is the perfect Rosé for red wine lovers. And it is one of the driest Rosés on the Rosé wine sweetness chart. Tavel Rosés tastes like fruity summer. There are rich, nutty notes, and can stand up well to strong flavors and hearty meats – making them perfect for a BBQ. 

Mourvèdre

Mourvèdre Rosé is a pale coral Rosé made in southern France, Spain, California, Washington, South Africa, and Southern Australia. It is fuller-bodied than many other Rosé wines. 

While it’s usually not necessary to age Rosé wine (it’s produced specifically for its fresh and fruity taste), the Mourvèdre grape is the exception. Mourvèdre Rosés are known for their ageability, and a good Mourvèdre Rosé can age for up to 10 years. 

Mourvèdre has initial floral notes of violets and rose petals that transform into flavors of cherry, red plum, smoke, and meat. These Rosés are an excellent pairing with Mediterranean food such as grilled lamb or olive tapenade. 

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir Rosé is earthier than Provence Rosés, but it shares the same bright, acidic, and fruity qualities. They are more delicate on the palate, but have bursting notes of strawberry, melon, white cherry, and zesty citrus. 

Pinot grapes are notoriously intolerant of any extreme weather, and are best grown in cool climates. They fare particularly well in the Napa and Sonoma Counties in California, which produce delicious Pinot Noir reds and Rosés alike. Of course, Burgundy is the Old-World home of Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noir Rosés are a truly versatile wine. They work quite well with French spices, as well as goat cheese, seafood, and even hearty corn chowder. 

Tempranillo

Tempranillo Rosés are on the spicier side of things, with a predominant green peppercorn flavor imparted by the Tempranillo grapes. They also share the same floral qualities as many Provence Rosés, and crisp fruity flavors of watermelon and strawberry. 

This peppery Rose pairs well with beef, tacos, and grilled seafood. 

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are used to make Rosé wines worldwide. These grapes typically make a Rosé that is a deep ruby red color – a bit darker than those from Sangiovese and Tempranillo grapes.

Cab Sauvignon Rosé typically is not aged in oak, and therefore has heightened acidity and tangy citrus notes. This crisp Rosé also often has notes of pepper, leather, black currant, cherry, or tobacco, and pairs well with seafood and veggies.

Syrah

Syrah grapes are very tannic, and very deep in color. The Rosé produced from them is equally dark and bold. Indeed, Syrah Rosé is one of the heartier and meatier Rosé wines. It sits squarely on the drier end of the Rosé wine sweetness chart. 

Syrah Rosé has notes of plum, blueberry, and dried cherry with hints of spice, red pepper, and smoke. It pairs particularly well with stews, paella, chilli, and cured meats. It is best served slightly chilled, and in a red wine glass. 

How sweet is Rose? It’s all in the bottle! 

So now you know all about the different types of Rosé wines. You know them from sweet to dry. But a word of caution. Although we can give you a general guide to Rosés, there will always be exceptions. No two bottles of Rose are alike.

Many say that as a rule, lighter Rosés are sweeter, and darker Rosés are drier. But this is not the case for Provence and some other Rosés. 

Use the rosé wine sweetness chart to inform your wine decisions, but always make sure to read the label before buying a Rosé wine. Subtle differences in region, color, and production methods can greatly affect the taste and sweetness of a Rosé wine. 

For example, one of the best dry Rosé wines is a Dry White Zinfandel. You might not guess that from looking only at our Rosé wine sweetness chart. 

There is a whole fascinating world of Rosé wine to explore. It will take a little reading and a little experimenting to find the perfect wine for you. However, armed with all the new knowledge in our Rosé wine sweetness chart, we’d say you’re well ahead of the curve. Now, you’re ready to select the Rosé that suits you – and your special event – best. 

Many wine drinkers have turned up their noses at White Zinfandel over the years. 

But is that attitude really deserved? We believe not (and we think you’ll agree!).

Sure, White Zinfandel has had a reputation — and a quite negative one — of being cloyingly sweet. But, in reality, many expressions of White Zinfandel are crisp and bright with not a hint of that syrupy sweetness. 

In fact, it’s increasingly becoming a new favorite among dry white wine enthusiasts. 

So, how is one to know if their White Zinfandel is sweet or dry? And, why are some White Zinfandels so sugary in the first place? Let’s take a look at all the sweet little details that make White Zinfandels so unique in the world of wine. 

What is White Zinfandel anyway? 

Before we dive into a matter of taste, it would be best to ensure you know what a White Zinfandel wine actually is (especially as it has been so misrepresented over the years.) 

So, what is White Zinfandel wine? 

Let’s clear the air. White Zinfandel is not a white wine at all — it’s a rosé. 

That’s right! The pretty blush pink wines that are all over everyone’s Instagram feeds and the belle of every weekend brunch are in the exact same family as White Zins. 

Rosé wines (including White Zinfandels) are made with the “skin contact method.” This means that the skins of the freshly pressed grapes are only left in with the juice long enough to impart just a hint of color. This is typically a time period of somewhere between two to twenty hours. 

Rosés come in a range of shades — from palest blush to deepest plum — depending on the type of grape, and how long the juice is left to sit with the skins. 

White Zinfandel wine is made using Zinfandel grapes. These grapes have very deep blue-black skins and impart fabulous fruity and floral flavors to the wines made from them. As you may have guessed, they are the same grapes used to make Red Zinfandel wine, the bold, high-tannin red that goes great with every BBQ. 

The only difference between a classic Red Zinfandel and most White Zinfandels is that the former has been left to sit with the grape skins for longer. This affects both the color and the flavor of the wine. 

While the red is deep and brooding and bold, the rosé is refreshing and bright. 

In fact, White Zinfandel is not all that sweet on its own. When left to its own devices, White Zinfandel wine is quite dry, like many other rosé wines. Winemakers have simply chosen to make White Zinfandel sweet over the years. 

So why do other rosés have such a positive reputation, and White Zinfandel such a negative one? 

To be honest, we think it has a lot less to do with taste and a whole lot more to do with marketing. 

Why is White Zinfandel sweet? 

White Zinfandel became sweet by accident. And, if we’re being perfectly honest, the wine itself came about by chance!

It all started with one winery in the Napa Valley in 1948. Bob Trinchero and his team at Sutter Home Winery were trying to make their Red Zinfandel wine even deeper and bolder by bleeding out some of the juice. This would allow the Zinfandel grape skins to work their magic with the remaining liquid.

Unfortunately, now the team had 500 gallons of excess liquid — and no idea what to do with it.  

Instead of throwing all that money down the drain, Bob Trinchero decided to sell the wine as a rosé. However, because of the “fiasco of Faisca” at the time, Trinchero was worried people wouldn’t react well to a new rosé. Instead of marketing it under that name, he created a new name: White Zinfandel.

It wasn’t until the 70s that the White Zinfandel we know came about by a fortuitous accident. While making a batch of White Zinfandel wine one day at Sutter Home, Stuck Fermentation occurred. 

Stuck Fermentation is a chronic issue that can affect even the most talented of winemakers. One of the most critical components in winemaking — besides the grapes of course — is the yeast. Yeast is what causes the fresh grape juice to ferment, just as it helps barley turn into beer. 

Alas, yeast can be quite fickle. 

If the conditions are too hot, the yeast is too old, or even if the water content isn’t just right, the yeast might not cooperate as they should. 

Stuck Fermentation occurs when the yeast organisms die before they have finished turning the fruit sugars in the grape juice to alcohol.

Now you may be thinking that would make for a very low alcohol content. But, while White Zinfandel is on the lower end of the scale, it still has just as much alcohol content as a Prosecco or a Reisling and is very much a wine in its own right.

The unfinished fermentation process does, however, lend to a sharp increase in sweetness. Thus resulting in a sweet and often cloying wine. 

Usually, the Napa Valley has the perfect conditions for winemaking, but perhaps that fateful day in the 70s was unseasonably warm. Whatever the reason, the fact remains that Stuck Fermentation occurred at Sutter Home Winery that day.

And the rest was rosé-tinted history. 

White Zinfandel: a sweet sensation

If you were to ask, “is White Zinfandel sweet?” the answer would often be yes.

That’s because, in the 80s, the popularity of super-sweet White Zinfandel skyrocketed. It was affordable, accessible, and easy to mix and drink. It was often seen as the official cheap spritzer wine, the “box wine,” and as a set of training wheels for people developing their wine palate. 

This hype is also what did White Zinfandel in. 

Many wine connoisseurs considered it to be a cheap afterthought and not a “serious wine.” They chose instead to look to other more dry and robust rosé options.

Many more found that White Zinfandel was TOO sweet (and resulted in nasty hangovers) and so slowly it began to fall from grace. 

But how sweet is White Zinfandel exactly? Is White Zinfandel sweet enough to be considered a dessert wine?
Most would say NO. 

Is White Zinfandel a dessert wine?

While in the UK, dessert wine is considered to be any sweet wine drink with a meal — in which case White Zin would fit the bill — in the US, dessert wines cannot be classified as such unless it has an alcohol content of more than 14%. White Zinfandel has a much lower percentage than that on average (usually from 9%-12%) although the rare and special White Zinfandel does reach 14% ABV. 

Additionally, while rosé relies on the process of Stuck Fermentation for its signature sweetness, there are many different processes winemakers use to create dessert wines.

Dessert wines also go through a process called “arresting”, where the active yeast in the varietal is brought to a halt. This leaves the wine sweet rather than dry, but also, lower in alcohol. To make up for the lower alcohol volume, the wine is fortified with extra alcohol, which not only amplifies the sweetness but the alcohol content, too. 

When compared to an “official dessert wine,” White Zinfandel has not been fortified, is less sweet, less strong, and easier to consume. White Zinfandel wines also pair much better with savory, spicy, acidic, and creamy food. 

So now that we’ve discussed why White Zinfandel is sweet, and just how sweet it is…where, why, and how did White Zinfandel wine become dry?  

Why is White Zinfandel dry once more? 

We can thank the newfound popularity of rosé wine for the re-imagination of White Zinfandel. After all, what is White Zinfandel if not a rosé? 

Rosé wines are all the rage for a multitude of reasons. They are:

• Super versatile – Rosés are usually less heavy than reds and brighter than whites, making them the perfect middle ground for most meals (and for the palates of most wine drinkers). 
• Very affordable –  Rosé wines have been one of the most consistently affordable wines on the market with a plethora of fantastic options for less than $30 a bottle. It makes it an easy choice for stocking the pantry before a party. 
• Easy to mix – There are a huge variety of tasty cocktail options you can make with rosés. From gin, bourbon, rum, or cognac to a simple and refreshing Frosé slushie, rosé wines play well with everything. 
• Oh-so-pretty – Who can say no to that pretty Millennial Pink sitting on their table or in their freshly-manicured hands? Not us.

With all these lovely things to say about rosés, it was time to revamp both the White Zinfandel taste and image. 

A few winemakers in Napa and Sonoma County (including ourselves) decided to go back to White Zinfandel’s roots in order to propel it into the future. We wanted a White Zinfandel that would appeal to modern rosé and white wine drinkers. 

Something fresh. 

Something dry. 

Something unexpected from a pretty pink drink.

And thus, the new White Zin was born. Zesty and sassy with notes of citrus flowers and red berries, the modern White Zin isn’t at all like its syrupy predecessors. 

So, if you were once someone who turned up their nose at White Zinfandel, or assumed it wasn’t for you, take another hard look. We named it Not Your Mother’s Dry White Zinfandel for a reason! 

How to find the perfect White Zin for you 

With such a huge range in sweetness, it now becomes more of an issue just trying to find the White Zin that suits you best. 

If you are looking for a White Zinfandel that is sweet, search for one with low acidity levels. Any acidity in the wine will start to counterbalance the sweetness and make it appear drier. 

Your sense of smell also greatly affects your perception of a wine’s sweetness. However, if a wine smells sweeter it does not necessarily taste sweeter. One starting point can be to look for a very “aromatic” wine with sweet floral aromas. 

But you’ll also want to check how much residual sugar is in your bottle of wine.

Residual sugar is how much sugar is left over after the alcoholic fermentation process has finished and is a great way to tell just how sweet your wine will be. The higher the number, the greater the chance that your White Zinfandel is sweet. Noticeably sweet wines will start at around 35 grams per liter, and go up from there. 

 If you’re looking for the best dry white zinfandel, you can’t go wrong with our very own 2019 “Not Your Mother’s” Dry White Zinfandel.

Full of floral notes and delicate fruit undertones, this refreshing White Zin has just enough crisp acids to help it balance well with heavier, creamier, or spicy foods. And, the beautiful flavors of cherry, strawberry, and rose petals make it delightful to sip on its own.

Whether you’re looking for something sweet or something dry, there is a White Zinfandel for everyone. 

This versatile rosé wine works well to please both white and red wine drinkers and is easy to pair with any meal in any season. So break out a glass because the modern White Zinfandel is all grown up and here to stay. 

Oh, how the tables have turned!

Now, it seems like every celebrity and pop culture icon is releasing a trendy rosé, and every liquor store, wine shop, and even grocery store features a shelf full of pink wine.

What’s the difference between White Zinfandel and Rosé anyway? 

People who are already in the know on dry rosé wine can sometimes be heard saying that they love rosé, but not White Zinfandel rosé. 

For the rest of us, the dichotomy between White Zinfandel vs rosé can be confusing. 

After all, White Zinfandel is a rosé.

Rosé is the overarching term for all pink wine. It covers all styles of rosé, from still to bubbly and from sweet to dry. There are even niche styles of wines fortified with spirits that are considered to be rosés, such as rosé ports and rosé vermouths. 

These wines can be anywhere from lusciously sweet to bone dry — depending on the winemaker’s desired style — and can be made from any grape. 

Perhaps the most common misconception (after the myth that all rosés are sweet) is in the production process of rosé wine. 

The most common and standard method of rosé wine production isn’t actually mixing red wine and white wine together. 

The red pigment in this pink wine primarily comes from the skin of the pressed red grapes. 

Right at the initial press, wine grape juice runs clear, which means it’s actually possible to make white wine from red grapes. So, while red wines are allowed to sit and soak in the color (and flavor) from the skins, rosé wines are removed from skin contact after a short period of time, resulting in a lighter color. 

The longer the skins of the crushed grapes are allowed to stay in the juice, the darker the resulting wine is. 

It actually wasn’t that long ago that White Zinfandel was the most popular sub-category of rosé wine. It was created when Bob Trinchero of (at the time) Sutter Home was trying to make a Red Zinfandel, normally a bold, spicy red wine made in a dry style. 

He had what’s technically called a Stuck Fermentation when the yeast in the fermenting tank simply stops working. 

This resulted in a sweet, fruity wine. And instead of throwing out the juice or selling it off in bulk, he decided to bottle it, sell it, and call it “White Zinfandel.” 

White Zinfandel became one of the most popular wines in the United States, and a runaway commercial success for Sutter Home. In a time when dry Provence-style rosé wine hadn’t become popular in the United States yet, White Zinfandel became synonymous with rosé wine to Americans. 

    1. Endless variety: There’s a whole world of dry rosé wine

The term “White Zinfandel” or White Zin might suggest to some a specific style of wine, the one created by Sutter Home in 1948 by Bob Trinchero.

But that isn’t so.

It’s not 1948 anymore, and an ocean of pink juice ranging from sugary sweet to surprisingly-dry now greets shoppers at most stores that sell wine. 

Dry rosé wine has finally claimed its rightful place in the wine world, as an easy, go-to sipping wine that pairs with almost any food and any social occasion. 

And while White Zinfandel rosé and, by extension, all rosé wine has a reputation for being a sugary blasé wine, there is an entire world of dry rosé wine out there waiting to be explored.

In fact, there is a rosé version of just about every version of red wine you can think of, and some are exciting blends of various grapes. They come in all kinds of different flavor profiles, sweetness levels (although most of them are quite dry), carbonation levels, and regions of origin. 

A good rule of thumb is that the rosé versions of wines mimic its fully pigmented red versions. 

For example, Pinot Noirs have a softer, gentler profile with brambly berry flavors and floral notes as a red wine. Pinot Noir grapes produce a beautifully delicate, lacy dry rosé wine with a light, airy flavor profile. Cabernet Sauvignons and Malbecs, however, make red wines that have great depth of flavor, firm structure, and earthy dark notes. The dry rosé wines made from these kinds of grapes have a more assertive flavor profile, with firmer structure than a rosé of Pinot Noir. 

Rosés also express terroir, or the character of the place where the grapes were grown and the wines were made. 

French rosés are perfectly polished with beautiful fresh fruit notes; some South American rosés can even have a hint of earth and smoke, making them perfect for that hot summer backyard barbecue (perhaps inspired by an Argentinean Asado?) when it’s just too hot for a red wine. Spanish rosés are just barely spicy and savory, and American West Coast rosés are lush and luxurious on the palate. 

There’s really a rosé to match your every mood and occasion. 

2. Versatility: It’s the drink of the hostess with the mostest

The amazing variety of dry rosé wines available in the market today means there’s not only a rosé out there for every wine drinker, but also a rosé out there for every possible scenario and food pairing (or lack thereof!). 

Need something to serve while your guests are waiting for the meal to be served? 

Dry rosé is a perfect before-dinner drink, with a clean, refreshing aftertaste. Its status as a happy compromise between red and white wine means that it’s the perfect transition between the appetizer and the main course. 

We also find that our favorite rosé is with fish or a healthy chicken bowl, but still structured enough to pair well with red meat. 

For the brunch fans among us: when you decide to switch up the mimosa and bloody mary routine, try adding dry rosé into the mix! 

Breakfast food and rosé is one of the most delightful pairings in the world. Rosé has the substance to stand up to the heartier parts of your meal, like bacon, sausage, and lox, but has the crisp acidity to play well with eggs, cheese, and toasted bread. 

Dry rosé wine’s crowd-pleasing flavor profile and beautiful color means it’s becoming more and more popular as a celebration wine — like for weddings or as a festive holiday meal pairing. 

Need a unique gift idea? 

A specialty dry rosé is one of the best value for quality wine categories in the market today, and nothing says “cheers” like a rosé Champagne!

With so many styles and grapes available, dry rosé is slowly but surely becoming a year-round drink. 

That wall of rosé that used to disappear in October as suddenly as it accosted shoppers in April? It’s rightfully become a permanent section in your wine shop and grocery store, with its very own engraved “rosé” section sign to boot. 

There are darker, heartier rosé wines for the colder months, and the ethereal, airily-delicate rosé wines that seem to disappear on your tongue for the summer months, actually work for all 12 months of the year. 

The versatile flavor profile even lends itself well to frozen slushies/frosés and wine cocktails, or frozen slushies of wine cocktails! Don’t be afraid to play around with rosé wine, cordials, syrups, bitters, tonic waters, and other fun ingredients. 

    3. Outstanding value: You get more bang for your buck

For an aspiring wine aficionado trying to get acquainted with the world of fine wine, cost can get extremely prohibitive, very quickly. 

One way to get around this is to try the “entry-level” or the most cost-effective wines from the best wine producers in the world. This is a great way to get familiar with the production style of each producer, without paying top dollar for their flagship, jewel-in-the-crown wine. 

For many vineyards, that comes in the form of their rosé.

It doesn’t require any time aging at the winery, as it’s bottled just after fermentation and released immediately. It doesn’t require any barrels, or have any other costs associated with lengthier, slower winemaking. Generally, it’s produced from fruits that come from younger vines in a winery estate’s holdings; younger vines produce fruits that are a little less concentrated in flavor, producing a lighter style of wine. 

This is not to say that rosé wine is made cutting any corners! 

Quite the opposite. 

Winemakers know that rosé and white wine is one of the first introductions to their wine lineup for most people. And we want to make a great first impression, welcoming you into our community of wine lovers! 

From the vineyard to the bottle, winemakers take just as much care with their rosé wines as they do with their red wines which can be twice, three times, or even more of the cost of the rosé wines from the same line. 

All of this just means that one of the best value categories in all of wine is the dry rosés from some of the best vineyards — such as those in the famous Sonoma County. With all the skill and care that goes into a top-dollar wine, produced in the same place, cared for by the same hands, rosé wines are much less cost prohibitive, and accessible on a daily basis for more people. 

White Zinfandel, remixed

This brings us back around to the topic of White Zinfandel. 

Rosé wines made from Zinfandel grapes can in fact be dry, just like rosé wines made from any other red grape. A bottle of pink wine that reads “White Zinfandel” might recall mass-produced $9.99 1.5 liter special sales at your local grocery store, but there are passionate producers like the team at Halleck Vineyard making absolutely gorgeous, elevated dry rosé wines from this grape. 

And sure, we could call our wine the “rosé of Zinfandel” or something fancy like that. 

But winemakers can be a funny, ragtag bunch, and the reference to the sweet style innovated by Bob Trichero is intentional and tongue-in-cheek.

We won’t lie, we had fun naming our Not Your Mother’s Dry White Zinfandel, too.

Like the name suggests, this wine isn’t the stuff your mother might have drunk out of measuring cups back in the day. It’s elevated, complex, and refreshing on the palate, making it perfect for a poolside glass of wine, or with hors d’oeuvres at your dinner party. It can even stand up to a hearty dinner as a great Thanksgiving wine.

It’s the perfect wine to surprise your guests (and yourself!) with something unexpected. It recalls the spicy, complexity, and the perfect red berry and plum flavors of Red Zinfandel, but in a more delicate version of itself.

Not to mention, it’s the wine of trendsetters. Dry rosés have been around for a little while, and rosés as a category even longer than that. But dry White Zinfandel is a relatively new movement in wine that plays on its past and its misconception in the world. 

You could be one of the first to set this trend and champion a truly unique, delicious category of wine!

Many are sophisticated, dry, and downright delectable. They are an excellent choice for a weekend brunch but work equally as well with a salad or light meat. And the festive color makes them an unexpected choice as a celebration wine for your next anniversary dinner or girls’ night toast. So, in this White Zinfandel wine guide, we’re going to set the record straight once and for all. We want you to understand – and enjoy – this marvelous beverage.

What is White Zinfandel?

As we mentioned, White Zinfandel is a somewhat misunderstood wine born from a mistake gone right by winemakers in the 70s. Unfortunately, due in no small part to some terrible marketing in the 80s, its reputation was tarnished as a cheap, cloyingly sweet box wine. And, though it was not all box wine, it certainly was cheap and lovely.

Well, stop right there! 

We’ll give you a new definition from now on because the White Zinfandel wine options you can enjoy today couldn’t be more different. They are drinkable, flavorful, and fun, and range from sweet to surprisingly dry.

See, we told you.  

When defining what White Zinfandel is, it’s hard to pick just one descriptor. Despite its name, White Zinfandel is actually not a white wine at all. Instead, you can think of it as the sweet little sister in the rosé family. It’s made in the same fashion as a rosé but uses a process known as Stuck Fermentation (which we will explain later), to retain its sweetness. 

White Zinfandel wine is made from black and blue-hued wine grapes of the same name. Despite their darker skins, Zinfandel grapes have a light center and the pale pink color of White Zin comes from the color of the skins bleeding while soaking.

Zinfandel grapes are genetically similar to the Primitivo grape and other old-world varieties in Croatia and Italy. They found their way to the USA in the mid-19th century and began to thrive in Napa Valley and Sonoma County, California, because of the ideal growing conditions here.

Seventy percent of the world’s Zinfandel grapes are grown in the US and 10% of California vineyards grow them. 

The climate, soil, and terrain of a region are known as the terroir, and they work together to affect the taste of a wine. That’s why the exact White Zinfandel wine may taste different yearly. Depending on the terroir, fermentation process, and other factors, Zinfandel grapes may lend raspberry, raisin, cranberry, plum, and other big flavors to your glass.

White Wines from Sonoma

White Zinfandel vs. Rosé – what’s the difference?

Rosé has come on the scene in a big way in recent years. Yet, somehow, White Zin still gets left out of many brunch events and best rosé lists. 

But White Zinfandel wine is rosé wine. 

Rosé wines are created when the skin of red grapes is allowed to sit with the pressed grape juice for a short while. It’s a long enough time to impart a pretty pink color, but not long enough for the juice to turn a deep red you’ll see in wines like a Merlot or Malbec. 

One of the great things about White Zinfandel wines is that they come in various colors, from a barely-there blush pink to a vibrant raspberry. No two are exactly alike. But they look really lovely at your table, no doubt adding to your dining or drinking experience.

And, like rosés, not all White Zinfandel wines are even sweet. With the rise in rosé popularity and the abundance of Zinfandel grapes in California, White Zin is seeing a well-deserved revolution. It’s now quite easy to find a savory, full-bodied White Zinfandel wine that can be enjoyed with a light meal. 

Before we get ahead of ourselves, though, let’s go back to the beginning to see how far White Zinfandel wine has come in a relatively short time. 

White Zinfandel wine: a brief history

White Zinfandel is just about the happiest accident we know of. That’s right – just like blue cheese and potato chips, this delicious wine was a result of some bad luck. Well, good luck, really. 

In 1948, the winemakers at Sutter Home in California were attempting to make a deeper, bolder, more intense red Zinfandel wine. To do so, they decided to decrease the juice-to-skin ratio, and bled out over 500 gallons of the liquid.

Bob Trinchero and his team at Sutter Home then came up with a revolutionary idea. The liquid had only been sitting with the grape skins for a couple of days, and had picked up a subtle pink color. Instead of letting the excess liquid go to waste, they would sell it as a rosé. 

They bottled it up, and marketed it under the new name – White Zinfandel, because they thought that would be more palatable and novel to consumers than using the name rosé.

Now this wine wasn’t an art form. And they certainly weren’t making it for taste. The first White Zinfandel wine was purely about mitigating waste and turning a profit. It wasn’t until another accident that the popularity of this sweet wine reached its height. 

A rise to fame and a fall from grace

One day in 1975, when Sutter Home was making a batch of White Zinfandel, the batch experienced Stuck Fermentation. Stuck Fermentation is when the yeast in the liquid completely dies off before it has a chance to convert all the fruit sugars into alcohol. 

Because there was still quite a bit of sugar left behind, the wine became unexpectedly sweet – which is exactly what you’d expect of a White Zinfandel wine. This happy accident resulted in an easy-to-sip wine and sales skyrocketed.

Soon, other wineries were catching on to this cost-effective wine-making method. They, too, began bottling their excess juice from Red Zinfandel wine and selling “White Zinfandel.” And because it cost them little to make, it became one of the cheapest wines available. 

Over the years, White Zinfandel wine has become known as THE box wine. The box cut down costs even further, and by the 80s, it had become the go-to mixer for cheap spritzers and sangrias.

Unfortunately, its sweet rosé taste and cheap price also became its undoing. 

Many wine enthusiasts turned up their noses at White Zinfandel wine – shuddering to think of drinking from a box. 

The new and improved “White Zin”

Some people think White Zinfandel was the catalyst that sparked the popularity of rosé wine. In fact, Mateus Rose, predating Sutter Home, was the most popular wine in the world in the 70s, accounting for over 3.5 million cases, and almost 40% of Portugal’s exports

As White Zinfandel was being marketed everywhere, awareness of sweet rosé wines in general was increasing. And, looking for a drier, more refined alternative, many wine connoisseurs and winemakers started to experiment with rosés. 

Then, with the emergence of “millennial pink,” rosé wine became THE drink of a generation and the quintessential Sunday brunch choice in the United States.

But it wasn’t until quite recently that White Zinfandel has had a chance to clear its name. We owe some thanks to a few innovative young winemakers in California who took one look at the masses wanting to “Rosé All Day” and created a bolder, dryer White Zinfandel to appease them – the White Zin. 

Many modern White Zinfandel wines taste almost nothing like their sweet predecessors. Although they do have the same underlying notes of the Zinfandel grape, winemakers have invested more time in creating a White Zin that provides a much more refreshing option for dry wine enthusiasts. 

So, what is this new, refined taste we’re talking about? Let’s take a look at some White Zinfandel tasting notes. 

White Zinfandel tasting notes

You’ll find White Zinfandel wines at each stage of the sweet to dry wine chart, but they generally taste of red fruit flavors and light citrus. Remember, that the specific notes in each glass will vary based on the terroir, vintage, winemaker, and even the time of day (seriously!).

If the grapes were grown in cooler regions, notes of raspberry and strawberry could be more prevalent. 

If the wine was produced in a warmer area, there might be more predominant hints of blackberry, cherry, pepper, or anise. 

In general, White Zinfandel wine is often a mesmerizing blend of floral and fruit with gentle but crisp acidity, and is a great wine to drink both on its own, or with a meal. 

Because of its infamous sweetness, you might think that White Zinfandel wine is high in calories. In reality, White Zinfandel calories per glass are lower than many popular wines (such as chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and riesling) at anywhere between 108-135 calories per five-ounce serving.

How to perfectly pair your White Zinfandel wine

To know how to pair your wine, you first need to answer this question: Is your White Zinfandel dry or sweet? 

You now know it could be either. But each one comes with its own perfect pairing options.

A sweeter White Zinfandel wine will pair well with:

• Smoked meats
• Soft cheeses
• Pasta dishes (especially with cream sauces)
• Finger foods

A dry White Zinfandel will still taste delicious with all of those things, but it’s especially delectable when paired with:

• Fresh or roasted vegetables
• Fish
• Salads
• Crab cakes
• Acidic foods like tomatoes and citrus fruits
• Blue cheeses

On the whole, White Zinfandel wines are perfect matches for Indian food, BBQ pork, lamb, egg dishes, and desserts. White Zinfandel is even the perfect wine for Thanksgiving dinner, as it pairs marvelously with both the turkey and the veggie side dishes – and makes for a beautiful drink to toast with! 

Knowing what to pair with a White Zin is one step to becoming a wine connoisseur in your own right. But we have a few more tips to get the most flavor and enjoyment out of your next glass.

How to really enjoy your White Zin

Just like terroir impacts the wine grapes, a wine glass can make all the difference in the final flavor and your drinking experience as a whole. 

As White Zinfandel wine is a rosé, it’s best to use a rosé wine glass while drinking it. The best rosé wine glass depends on whether you are drinking a young or mature White Zinfandel. 

If you are drinking a young wine, try a flared lip rosé glass. The flared lip directs the wine to the tip of your tongue first, where your taste buds are more sensitive to sweetness. It will enhance the sweetness of a crisp, young White Zin while minimizing bite. 

If your White Zinfandel wine is more mature, then opt for a rosé glass with a slight taper. The rounded bottom with slight taper will help you appreciate the fuller body of a mature wine.

And, if you don’t happen to have a rosé wine glass, have no fret – a white wine glass will be just fine. 

Cheers, you’re a veritable White Zinfandel expert!

While you may have started off unsure of what a White Zinfandel wine even was, you’re now ready to find and enjoy the perfect bottle. 

Here at Halleck Vineyard, we love sharing our “Not Your Mother’s” Dry White Zinfandel with guests who are looking for an elevated rosé or a new wine to try that’s very drinkable. This refreshing and modern White Zinfandel wine is also a perfect way for dry white wine drinkers to mix up their selection. 

Now that you know what White Zinfandel is, you can find a delightful pairing for your White Zin, and even impress your guests with the fun history of this pretty-in-pink drink. 

So, grab a glass and gather up. It’s time to toss out White Zin’s misunderstood past, and say “yes way” to this stunning rosé and it’s 21st century glow-up. 

At the same time, a new entrant, White Zinfandel wine, joined the ranks of American wines made by Sutter Home.

Sutter Home employed a winemaking technique called “saignée,” draining some of the free-run juice from Zinfandel to create a concentrated, robust Zinfandel. “Saignee” literally means “to bleed” in French. The run-off is considered the bleed and is a traditional method for making Rosé. The runoff Zinfandel juice was then fermented, but got stuck, creating a semi sweet rather than dry White Zin. It was a mistake. But the Sutter Home White Zinfandel swept the American palate like a tidal wave. Pink, semi-sweet, and inexpensive, it became THE “libation of choice.”

Following Sutter Home, almost every winery launched its version of White Zin, establishing tiers by price and status. Never considered a fine wine, it however set the stage for America to become a wine drinking culture.

America discovered Chardonnay in the 80s and sales of White Zin plummeted. As did any status it had garnered. White Zin fell from grace.

With the recent rise in popularity of rosé, many asked for a Halleck Vineyard Rosé.

We purchased a selection of Rosés from our “neighborhood” to see what all the fuss was about. We didn’t like a single one. In exploring further, we discovered all were made in the “Saignee” fashion.

There is the intention to make Rosé at the outset. There is no “bleeding.” The grapes are pressed, the skin given a short time with the juice to impart it’s distinctively pink hue, and then removed. They are also bone dry; the juice if fully fermented with no residual sugar.

Our fans are our friends, so we thought, “Why not reinvent a classic?” We have a small audience who trusts us. Let’s redefine White Zin. It seemed adventurous, a hallmark for Halleck Vineyard.

So now the rest is history.

“Not Your Mother’s” Dry White Zinfandel is both elegant and casual. There’s no cloying sweetness one expects from White Zin. It’s fully fermented from Zinfandel, not bled or altered. The skins are left for just a short time, resulting in a gorgeous pink hue. The expressive nose is full of floral notes and delicate fruit.  Bright crisp acids blend with minerality on the mid-palate offering notes of subtle cherry, hints of apricot, rose petals, and other floral tones.

The refreshing finish lingers and cleanses. This is a wine you can enjoy with a meal, but and is also spectacular on its own sipping poolside or by anyone’s side.