Check out these 6 Okanagan Rosé that are yours to Discover on National Rosé Day.
June 11, 2022
Rosé in the Okanagan:
On this #nationalroséday we invite you to enjoy one of the Okanagan Rosé on this list! Rosé comes in a wide range of styles and made from many different grape varietals, and can be made still, semi-sparkling and sparkling. You would be hard-pressed to find an Okanagan Winery that does not make a Rosé. In years past you would find it in varying sweetness levels, but now the Okanagan Valley winemakers tend to lean towards making Rosé more in a dry to off dry style, meaning less than 15 grams of residual sugar. Gone are the days of the super sweet White Zinfandel, where many of us in our 40s started our wine journey. The Okanagan is home to many different styles, making it worthwhile to try as many as possible! As the saying goes: rosé all day!
The History of Rosé:
Rosé may very well be the oldest type of wine as it is fairly straightforward to make. It is a style of winemaking which incorporates only some colour from the skin of the grape. With red wines, there is generally anywhere between 30-45 days of skin contact during ferment, whereas with Rosé, if using the skin contact method, the juice is on the skins for anywhere between 2 hours and 7 days. Just like all wines, Rosé comes in many styles. From dry French style rosés, single varietals, blends, co fermentations, saignées, blush, sparkling, and traditional skin contact as mentioned above, we’ve got it all here in the sunny Okanagan Valley.
Below are six Okanagan rosé wines (from north to south) that we recommend you try.
50th Parallel Estate Winery | 2021 Estate Pinot Noir Rosé | Lake Country, B.C.
This Pinot Noir Rosé comes from the northern reaches of the Central Okanagan appellation in Lake Country. 50th Parallel Estate Winery is known for its wonderful Pinot Noirs, with approximately 35% of its production coming from this grape. For their Pinot Noir Rosé they use specific vineyards cultivated to produce a dry Provence style rosé. This electric pink coloured wine is dry with classic fruit flavours such as strawberry, cherry, watermelon and cranberry, as well as hints of vanilla and almond pastry. What better way to try a Pinot Noir Rosé than from the winery that specializes in Pinot Noir!
Price: $25.00
Residual Sugar: 1.0 g/L
T.A.: 6.2 g/L
Priest Creek Family Estate Winery | 2021 Pretty In Pink Rosé | Kelowna, B.C.
Priest Creek Family Estate Winery is located in beautiful East Kelowna. Named after the owners’ daughter, Pretty in Pink is made from Pinot Noir grapes hand planted by mother and daughter just before her ninth birthday. Pouring a lovely soft pink into the glass, Pretty In Pink delivers flavours of strawberry, lemongrass, candy, watermelon and rhubarb. The perfect summer wine to enjoy after spending quality time with your daughter.
Price: $23.00
Residual Sugar: 1.3 g/L
T.A.: 6.64 g/L
Black Swift Vineyards | 2021 Screaming Frenzy Rosé | West Kelowna, B.C.
Black Swift is one of several wineries owned by local wine maker and maverick Jason Parkes. Produced in West Kelowna with grapes from the South Okanagan, the Screaming Frenzy Rosé showcases the spicy side of Okanagan rosés in the spirit of Jason Parkes’ quest to spice up the Okanagan wine scene. This bold rosé brings fruit flavours of strawberry, rhubarb, ruby red grapefruit and raspberry with a nice white pepper kick to round things out. Perfect for those seeking to be a little different on the rosé wine trail, just like Jason!
Price: $23.99 CAD
Residual Sugar: 6.8 g/L
T.A.: 6.3 g/L
Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery | 2021 Rosé | West Kelowna, B.C.
Mt. Boucherie is the name of an ancient volcano, long dormant, that provides excellent soil for growing grapes. Another rosé produced in West Kelowna, this co-fermented field blend uses Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer and Zweigelt to create a delightfully bone dry rosé. With notes of strawberry, raspberry, watermelon and spice, this wine is the perfect accompaniment for charcuterie boards, salads, or a beautiful panoramic view of Okanagan Lake and Mt. Boucherie!
Price: $24.99
Residual Sugar: 6.9 g/L
T.A.: 6.2 g/L
Lunessence Winery and Vineyard | 2021 Rosé | Summerland, B.C.
Located in beautiful Summerland, Lunessence Winery & Vineyards completed the process of gaining organic certification in 2020. With two natural wetlands on their property, Lunessence strive to find a healthy balance between nature and wine. This co-fermented Cabernet Franc/Syrah pale salmon coloured rosé brings forth mouth watering flavours of strawberry and pink grapefruit. Perfect for those who wish to enjoy a classic Okanagan rosé whilst supporting the winery on their organic journey!
Price: $24.99
Residual Sugar: 7.0 g/L
T.A.: 7.3 g/L
Lock and Worth | 2021 Whitle Label Cab Franc Rosé | Naramata, B.C.
Lock & Worth is a small batch-boutique winery located in Naramata whose mission is to deliver sustainable, minimal intervention and affordable wines, rather than focus on a business model of infinite growth. Located at the old Poplar Grove Winery location, they share a tasting room with the Poplar Grove Cheese company. This candied apricot coloured rosé is off dry with flavours of cherry candy, candy apple, sweet thyme, and a nice acidity to balance out the sweetness. It pairs nicely with sushi, spicy chicken, salads and of course the Poplar Grove Cheese Co’s Tiger Bleu! Perfect for those who want to support a winery that puts doing things the right way above profit while still producing tasty wines!
Price: WINE CLUB EXCLUSIVE
Residual Sugar: 2.2 g/L
T.A.: 8.0 g/L
We hope you enjoyed reading about these 6 amazing Okanagan Rosé! We definitely had a hard time choosing only 6 for this list. Check back in to our blog to hear about more wine days this year!