🍷 Saignée rosé
Also known as: saignée, bled rosé
Rosé made from juice bled off a vat of red wine early in fermentation.
Saignée rosé is pink wine made by "bleeding". The French word saignée means bleeding. The winemaker fills a tank with dark grapes for red wine and, after a few hours or a day, drains off part of the juice while it is still pink. This drained juice ferments on its own and becomes rosé wine.
The method has two goals. The red wine left in the tank becomes denser and more intense, because there is less juice for the same amount of skins. The drained juice turns into a rosé that is usually darker, juicier and stronger than direct-press rosé.
This is what sets saignée apart from direct-press rosé, where grapes are pressed gently straight away for a pale colour. The method is widely used in France and belongs to the French wine tradition, but producers elsewhere use it too. Saignée is one of several ways to make rosé, and it stays closely tied to making red wine.
How it connects to Wine
🍷 Saignée rosé → made in → 🗺️ French wine → kind of → 🗺️ Wines of Europe → kind of → 🍷 Wine
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Frequently asked questions
Is it true that saignée rosé is always pale?
No. It is usually darker, juicier and stronger than direct-press rosé.
What is the difference between saignée and a direct-press rosé?
Direct-press rosé comes from grapes pressed at once for a pale wine. Saignée rosé is made from juice drained off a red wine tank.
Why do wineries bleed a red wine tank?
It makes the red wine denser and more intense, and the drained juice becomes a separate rosé.
What to read next
- 🍾 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses Juste Rosé — Philipponnat Clos des Goisses Juste Rosé: the vintage Champagne line of Philipponnat; vintages on this site: 2015, 2014, 2012.
- 🍾 Binet Elite Rosé — Binet Elite Rosé: a non-vintage rosé Champagne (Brut) from Binet. Pinot Noir 90 %, Chardonnay 10 % (according to the house).
- 🍾 Canard-Duchêne Rosé Iconic — Canard-Duchêne Rosé Iconic: a non-vintage rosé Champagne (Brut) from Canard-Duchêne, Iconic range. Pinot Noir.
- 🍾 Drappier Brut Nature Rosé — Drappier Brut Nature Rosé: a non-vintage rosé Champagne (Brut Nature) from Drappier. Pinot Noir 100 % (according to the house).
- 🍾 Larmandier-Bernier Rosé de Saignée Premier Cru Extra-Brut — Larmandier-Bernier Rosé de Saignée Premier Cru Extra-Brut: a non-vintage rosé Champagne (Extra Brut) from Larmandier-Bernier.
Similar
🍷 Blended rosé · 🍷 Vin gris · 🍷 Clarete · 🍷 Clairet · 🍷 Blush wine · 🍷 Chiaretto
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.