Why can we taste a young Spanish white or rosé wine before a young red?
If you are passionate about Spanish wine, you will surely enjoy discovering interesting facts about its production process and the differences that exist. Can you identify different types by their scent? Do you know why a young rosé or white wine is marketed before a young red?
Below we have the answers to these questions. Expand your kmowledge and surprise your guest at your next soirée at home?
What is a young wine?
Also known as vintage wine or wine of the year, it is bottled after alcoholic fermentation is complete. Therefore, it has not undergone any ageing or maturing processes and is marketed in tis first or second year of life. In fact, just three months after the grapes have been harvested, we can enjoy a white or rosé wine.
Its proprties remain intact for approximately two to three years. The cut-off date forthese types of wine is determined by the grapes used and where they were produced.
How can you identify each young wine by its colour, aroma and taste?
Differentiating each type of young wine by its colour is easy. If you do it by aroma and taste, however, that's when things get a little harder. These clues will help you distinguish between them:
- WHITE. In addition to its straw yellow o slightly greenish colour, it has an aroma reminiscent of fruits such as apple and pear. It will also bring to mind the smell of jasmine and other flowers. It is as fresh in the mouth as it is acidic. It is ideal as an aperitif. However, depending on yhe variety and preparation moethod, white wine can be perfect for first courses such as fish and seafood.
- ROSÉ. Its colour is unmistakable. The bright strawberry pink, that can be more or less intense, gives it away, as does its fruity, floral aroma. When you try it, you'll love its sweet, fresh and sugary taste.
- RED. Red is its colour, although its bluish component makes ir look almost purple. The evocation of red, and even black, berries will win youir sense over
Why are young rosés and whites marketed before young reds?
There are two different explanations for this question. The first of these is due to the production process required for the different types of young wines that you have just learned about in depth. Both whites and rosés only need to undergo alcoholic fermentaction, so they are bottled almost immediately. They do not need to wait any longer.
This is not the case with red wines, which require a maceration process that takes several days, as well as a second fermentation called malolatic fermentation. This helps to make the final product more palatable. Therefore, producing a young res takes slightly longer than in the case of other young wines. In this way, they enter the market at different times.
The second explanation is the harvest date of the grapes used in the production of each of the Spanish wines classified as young.
1. White wine: Macabeo and Chardonnay grapes
In the creation of white wines, grapes such as the Macabeo variety are used. The grapes are harvested during the first week of september, as is the case in our D.O area, Yecla.
The grape known as Chardonnay is also used, one of the best known varieties in the world, with a very widespread cultivation due to its ability to adapt to the climate. It is harvested in the second week of August. These are, indeed, early dates compared to other grape varieties.
2. Rosé and harvesting
For the production of young rosé wine, it is customary to use the red grape that is best suited to the terrain or area. In our case, this is in The Monastrell. The grapes are harvested at the end of September and in the firts fortnight of October, in order to obtain a greater level of freshness.
3. Red wine and Monastrell grapes
The Monastrell grape is the last one to be harvested out of those used in the production of these wines. We have to wait for the second or third week of October. In other words, it needs one month than the Macabeo grape and one and a half months more than the Chardonnay variety. In addition to alcoholic fermentation, malolatic fermentation is also required for the production of these red wines.
In short, the combination of all factors - i.e. long maceration, double fermentation and harvesting time - psotpones the marketing of young red wines compared to whites and rosés.
If you found this article interesting, we recommend yoy to follow our blog to keep up to date with the latest news about Spanish wine and other current topics. What's more, if you are looking to explore the world of wine tourism, do not hesitate to contact us.
You'll have an unforgettable experience!
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