Passion for rosé wines: France is the world’s largest producer (and consumer), Italy is catching up

Coral, peach, salmon, powder, onion skin, or raspberry: there is a shade for every wine lover who, according to the latest wine trends, is becoming increasingly passionate about “pink” in their glass. And while France remains the world’s largest producer and consumer of rosé wines - just think of the Côte de Provence, the region that launched a truly international style recognized and imitated around the world - followed by the United States, Italy is gaining ground and, above all, raising the bar in terms of quality, from South Tyrol to Lake Garda, from Abruzzo to Sicily, passing through Salento. June 27 marks International Rosé Day, kicking off the summer season and the increasingly widespread trend toward fresher, less demanding wines, with rosé as the ideal candidate. The first Italian rosé, Five Roses by Leone de Castris, was bottled 80 years ago (and boasts a loyal customer base even in the United States), and now there is a wide choice of Italian labels: WineNews has selected a few, including still and sparkling wines, strictly rosé and perfect not only for summer but all year round.
According to the “Observatoire Mondiale du Rosé”, published by FranceAgriMer and the Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vins de Provence, one of the world’s most important districts for this type of wine, France is the leading producer of rosé (30% of the total), ahead of Spain (21%), the United States, and Italy (10% each). Global exports remain stable at 10.9 million hectoliters in 2022, with Spain remaining the leading exporter (38% of volumes), ahead of France (18% of volumes) and Italy, with rosé wines moving towards the high end of the market.
Global export turnover reaches €2.4 billion (+€0.3 billion on 2021) and, in terms of value, French rosé wines strengthen their leadership, with a high average price that is trending upwards. Despite a decline in production and domestic consumption, France remains the undisputed leader among rosé wines: the leading producer, the leading consumer, the leading exporter in value (and the second in volume), and the leading importer in volume.
But Italy is increasingly focused on producing rosé wines and raising the quality of its offerings. Among Italian rosé wines, the first was Five Roses, an iconic wine from the Leone De Castris winery in Puglia, which today covers 300 hectares and produces a total of 2.5 million bottles. A blend of Negramaro and Malvasia Nera grapes grown on bush vines, it is undoubtedly one of Puglia’s most significant wines. It owes its name to the site where the grapes come from (Contrada Cinque Rose) and to the “whim” of Allied General Charles Poletti who, at the end of the Second World War, obtained a large supply of this rosé but wanted it to have an English name. Bright cherry pink in color and crystal clear, its fruity aromas are reminiscent of cherry, strawberry, and pomegranate, while the palate is pleasantly fresh, smooth, and flavorful. WineNews has selected a few, including still and sparkling wines, strictly rosé and perfect not only for summer but all year round, drawing on some of the suggestions from communication agencies across Italy which, as June 27, International Rosé Day, approaches, have been indulging themselves in sending ideas, bottles, and tastings... Starting with Letrari’s +4 Rosé Riserva Trentodoc 2015, which catches the eye with its delicate antique pink color and floral notes of Mediterranean fruit, citrus, peaches, and pomegranate. A fresh sparkling wine, aged on the lees for at least 108 months, with a gentle and refined character in which Pinot Noir (85%) and Chardonnay (15%) come together perfectly, leaving harmonious and persuasive sensations in the mouth. Maso Martis’ Monsieur Martis Trentodoc Rosè Brut 2020 is a Metodo Classico that defies convention and loves a challenge: Monsieur Martis has a masculine name but is a 100% Pinot Meunier rosé, a grape variety famous for producing delicate, rounded and fruitier sparkling wines, with a slight vegetal note and more pronounced acidity. The new vintage, 2020, has a beautiful pink color with orange reflections. Aging on the lees for at least 48 months gives it structure, depth, volume, and a creamy perlage. Castello Banfi’s La Pettegola Rosè 2024 catches the eye with its chic, delicate, and bright pink color, promising elegance and delicacy. A blend of Sangiovese and Merlot, it reveals notes of fresh fruit and hints of red flowers on the nose. On the palate, it offers a fresh, smooth sip with a rather persistent and salty finish. The name of Buglioni’s Sdraio Rosè de Noir Chiaretto di Bardolino DOC invites you to relax, enjoy the moment, and let yourself go with a fresh and carefree sip. A blend of Corvina and Rondinella, this Rosé de Noir (vintage 2024) is aged for 8 months in the cellar. Delicate pale pink in color, it is fragrant, light, and harmonious in the glass thanks to its aromas of currants, citrus fruits, and white flowers. Isaras Rosé from Cantina Valle Isarco is a cuvée of Pinot Noir and Zweigelt, reflecting the unique characteristics of the Valle Isarco terroir. Light cherry pink in color, it offers fruity and spicy aromas on the nose, with notes of cherry, strawberry, currant, and marzipan, while the palate is dry, with fresh and lively acidity, highlighting hints of exotic fruits and a mineral finish. Puntabella by Arnando Caprai is the first rosé wine produced by the Umbrian winery and is made on the shores of Lake Trasimeno from Sangiovese (60%) and Grenache (40%) grapes. A Colli del Trasimeno DOC rosé with a French interpretation but an Umbrian character, it is pale pink in color with reflections reminiscent of the sunset from Puntabella, one of the panoramic viewpoints of Lake Trasimeno. The nose reveals a bouquet of small red fruits and pomegranate, white peach, with hints of rose, wildflowers, and powdery notes. Rissoa from Tenuta Campo di Sasso comes from the terroir of Bibbona and the Tuscan coast and blends with the Provençal style in a fascinating alchemy. Cabernet Franc with a small addition of Syrah, it has the character of a great red wine, which expresses itself with lightness and immediacy and seduces with notes of pink grapefruit, apricot, chamomile, aromatic herbs, and salty hints that reveal its soul, deeply connected to the sea. Scassabarile Igp Calabria by Santa Venere is an organic rosé wine that catches the eye with its vibrant color and inviting aroma of lime blossom, lime zest, and mint. Made from 100% Marsigliana Nera grapes, a native Calabrian variety. The name is inspired by an ancient road connecting Calabria and Naples, which runs alongside the vineyard where the vines grow. Erse Rosato Etna Roscato DOC from Tenuta di Fessina is a volcanic wine that originates from the slopes of Mount Etna and is produced with Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio grapes, native to Sicily. It has a beautiful raspberry pink color with bright reflections, floral aromas, and notes of cherry, currant, raspberry, wild strawberry, and pomegranate.