Italy is tippled pink !

Its rosé wine category was long considered a lesser genre, but the meteoric rise in still rosé consumption over the past few years has been a game-changer. Mirroring developments in many other countries, including France, Spain and Portugal, Italian rosé is now rapidly gaining traction. It can, and will become one of the most versatile wines, both from an aromatic perspective and for its food pairing capabilities. Production has risen in virtually every region, including Tuscany and Piedmont – the home of age-worthy reds – providing irrefutable evidence of the success of pink wines. Its qualities are known to all – it is less intimidating than other styles, more accessible, more festive and often more affordable. Its plus points are endless.

From a technical point of view, a paradigm shift in technology has occurred. Traditionally, the ‘saignée’ technique was the most widely used in Italy, but this has now been superseded by the direct-to-press method. The purpose of this switch is obvious, and that is to produce lighter coloured, fresher and more savoury wines, following in the confident footsteps of Provence. The similarities stop with the colour, however, because Italy has an incredible canvas of climates, terroirs and grape varieties (often native) to work with, from North to South, lending it a range of styles and expressions that is second to none.

By Francesco Saverio Russo photographs - courtesy of the estates