How do they make Rosé wines?

Gone will be my enthuastic description of rosé winemaking...

I have on more than one occasion been asked. How do they make rosé wines?
- Do they just mix red and white wine?-

I was always quite pleased to point at that NO- it was not so simple as simply blending red and white wines- but rather rosé wines were the result of red grapes macerated for a short time and an initial bleeding of rosé colour juice.

However possibly in the near future, simple blending of red and white wines to make rosé will be allowed in the EU! Taking away from rosé producers the pride they take in their traditional methods of rosé production. All producers across Europe will be allowed to throw together red and white wine and call it rosé.

Before I make any judgements, I would like to taste some of these blended concoctions. However I do think that it would be important to have a way to identify and differentiate between blended red and white grape rosés and those only from red grapes.

Then again there are several ways to make sparkling wine, and there is no required distinction made to let the customer know which method was used. I guess it is the same idea for these new rosés.

Well see how it plays out...