Warmer weather forecasts rosé days ahead – The San Francisco Examiner

It’s warming up. My peach tree is breaking out in salmon-colored blossoms. It reminds me of enjoying a glass of rosé with friends, something I hope to do soon. Rosé has come a long way since the days that some California wineries combined left over red and white wine and marketed it as such.

In the early sixties, Julia Child declared, “Rosé can be served with anything,” which boosted the popularity of brands like Lancers and Mateus. Later, Bob Trinchero of Sutter Home started the white zinfandel craze in the mid-1970s.

Whether the grapes are grown exclusively or some red wine juice is bled off early, a process known as the “saignee method,” the core of rosé production is minimal maceration, or limited contact with skins resulting in lighter color and softer flavors.

As palates became more sophisticated, U.S. consumers turned to Provencal rosé from southern…