10 Delicious Italian Rose Wine Bottles, Prices (2024)
The blush-colored, crisp, and lively Italian rosato wines are a delight to sip on a summer beach trip!
Just like the sophisticated French Rosé wines, Italian Roses come in a diverse range of styles - each with its own unique flavors.
What is the best Rosé wine from Italy?In this article, we will explore all the Italian Rose wine regions and the 10 best wines to buy with tasting notes, serving tips, and details on winemaking.
Further reading
10 Exquisite Italian Rosé Wines To Buy In 2024
Here are the 10 best Italian rosato wines to try now:
- 1999 Azienda Agricola Valentini Cerasuolo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Rose
- 2009 Gianfranco Fino 'Simona Natale' Rose Pas Dose, Puglia
- 2017 Fattoria Fibbiano Sofia Rose Toscana IGT, Tuscany
- 2019 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Cerasuolo Rose
- 2017 Costaripa Rosamara Chiaretto Riviera del Garda Classico Valtenesi
- 2019 Sergio Arcuri 'Il Marinetto' Rose Calabria IGT
- 2017 Le Fraghe 'Rodon' Bardolino Chiaretto
- 2018 Il Sogno di Arianna Bardolino Chiaretto Rosato
- Freixenet Italian Rose Sparkling
- 2019 Leone de Castris Five Roses Rosato Salento IGT
1. 1999 Azienda Agricola Valentini Cerasuolo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Rose, Italy ($862)
This vibrant Rosé wine has sweet red fruit flavors of cherry, raspberry, and wild strawberry, good acidity, and a delicate saline finish.
2. 2009 Gianfranco Fino 'Simona Natale' Rose Pas Dose, Puglia, Italy ($59)
The 2009 Gianfranco is a remarkable sparkling wine with a vinous aroma of unripe berries, spice, and minerals. It presents almond and fruity flavors, tight tannins, and persistent bubbles.
3. 2017 Fattoria Fibbiano Sofia Rose Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Italy ($42)
This Sangiovese wine has delicate aromas of wild berry, herbs, and culinary spice. It is well-balanced and dry with bright acidity and a rich range of berry, peach, and citrus flavors.
4. 2019 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Cerasuolo Rose, Italy ($35)
The 2019 Emidio Pepe offers expressive aromas of rose petals, cherry, raspberry, pomegranate, and strawberry. This pink wine has a crisp and fresh cherry flavor.
5. 2017 Costaripa Rosamara Chiaretto Riviera del Garda Classico Valtenesi, Lombardy, Italy ($29)
The 2017 Costaripa Rosamara is a refreshing and crisp wine with a fresh mineral nose. The palate showcases raspberry, strawberry, cranberry, and pink grapefruit notes.
6. 2019 Sergio Arcuri 'Il Marinetto' Rose Calabria IGT, Italy ($23)
This Sergio Arcuri Rosé wine presents fine fruit and floral notes. It is medium-bodied with soft berry and caramel flavors, excellent acidity, and a savory finish.
7. 2017 Le Fraghe 'Rodon' Bardolino Chiaretto, Veneto, Italy ($22)
The 2017 Rodon offers an enchanting bouquet of rose petals, wild strawberry, and red currant. This pink wine presents a harmony of savory, red berry, and mineral notes on the palate.
8. 2018 Il Sogno di Arianna Bardolino Chiaretto Rosato, Veneto, Italy ($20)
This Sogno di Arianna Bardolino is a fresh and aromatic Rose wine with soft cherry, blossom, and wet stone hints. It has crisp mineral, citrus, and red berry flavors.
9. Freixenet Italian Rose Sparkling, Italy ($16)
The Freixenet Italian Rosé is a bright sparkling wine made from Glera and Pinot Noir grapes. It presents light effervescence with a toasty palate of fresh fruit, berry, jasmine, and green apple flavors.
10. 2019 Leone de Castris Five Roses Rosato Salento IGT, Puglia, Italy ($15)
The 2019 vintage Rose is deep and refreshing with delicate aromas of cherry and strawberry. It is light and smooth with juicy depth, good acidity, and slight tannins on a persistent palate.
Italian Rosé Wine: Serving Tips
Serve a dazzling Italian pink wine chilled between 46°F-54°F (8°C-12°C.)
They pair perfectly with local dishes like antipasti or ‘frisa salentina.’
You can also pair them with summer dishes like roasted chicken and grilled steak or light dishes, including cold cuts, seafood, savory pies, white meat stew, and pasta dishes.
Italian Rose Wine Regions and Wine Styles
Here are the most renowned Italian rosato wine regions:
A. Veneto
One of Italy’s oldest Rosé wine regions, Veneto produces delicious Rosato wines - locally known as Chiaretto. Many critics believe Chiaretto is a byproduct of the “saignee” method that was originally used to produce concentrated red wine.
Today, Veneto Roses have their own designation, Bardolino Chiaretto, which was recently renamed to Chiaretto di Bardolino. You can look for either on the wine label.
Chiaretto wines are primarily made from grapes grown in Verona - predominantly Corvina with Rondinella or Molinara varieties. The wines are usually light and clear, with delicate tannins and well-rounded acidity.
B. Lombardy
On the western shore of Lake Garda, in Lombardy, Italian Roses are known as Chiaretto Valtènesi or Riviera del Garda Classico Chiaretto.
Chiaretto Valtènesi are typically made from Gropello and can also contain Marzemino, Barbera, Sangiovese, and non-native grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Carmenere, and Merlot.
Generally, they have a deep pink color with floral notes and a red fruit flavor.
C. Abruzzo
The Abruzzo region of Southern Italy is the second major Rose-producing region after Veneto. Its Cerasuolo d’AbruzzoRosé was the first Rose style to achieve DOC status in Italy.
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Rosé wines are predominantly Montepulciano wines.
They are rich, bold, and well-structured, and are one of the few Roses that can be aged for years.
D. Puglia
Located in Southern Italy, Puglia is renowned for its vibrant Rose wines made from native and international grapes.
Its most popular Rose comes from the Castel del Monte appellation - dedicated to producing only rosato wines.
They are primarily Bombino Nero wines that may also include traces of Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, and Susumaniello grape varieties. The wines are light, displaying good structure and bright acidity.
Another praiseworthy appellation in Puglia is the Salice Salentino DOC.
Its Roses have Negroamaro as the primary grape with small quantities of Malvasia Nera and Primitivo. These wines have a distinct aroma of red fruit and wet clay.
E. Tuscany
One of Italy’s premier red wine regions, Tuscany also makes beautiful rosato wines from a wide range of grape varieties, including native Sangiovese grapes and international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah.
In Bolgheri, winemakers mainly use international varieties, reserving just up to 50% for Sangiovese.
High acidity and fresh, fruity flavors characterize these Sangiovese rosato wines.
F. Calabria
Calabria in Southern Italy majorly cultivates Gaglioppo grapes in vineyards along its dramatic coastline.
The region’s best-known and oldest DOC, Cirò, produces delicious orange-pink Roses that are well-rounded with fruity flavors, high alcohol, and rich tannins.
G. Sicily
Sicily is a growing rosato wine region.
Sicilian winemakers primarily use the indigenous Nero d’Avola, Nerello Mascalese, and Carricante grape varieties to produce elegant and racy rosato wines with a deep pink color and savory flavors.
However, sometimes they also blend international varieties like Syrah into their wines.
A few other notable Italian Rose wine regions include Basilicata, which produces Rose from Aglianico grapes.
How Are Italian Rosé Wines Made?
Many wine producers specifically cultivate grapes used to make Italian rosato wines instead of using ones meant for red wine. The grapes are then harvested early to retain more acidity.
Italian Rose wines are typically crafted by avoiding excessive skin contact and coloration from skin pigments.
Most Italian Rose wines are crafted using white wine vinification styles. In general, here are the three methods used in Italy:
- Bleeding: Called Saignee in French or Salasso in Italian, this method involves removing the grape juice from crushed red grapes. The must is collected after a short period of skin contact. This method creates light pink Roses with a good structure like Bardolino wines.
- Blending: These wines are made by blending a white wine with a red wine. Winemakers typically use just a bit of the red wine (up to 5%) to create the Rose pink color.
- Skin contact: The grape juice undergoes a short maceration with the grape must, usually for 2 to 24 hours, before it is separated and fermented. This method creates wines with a dark pink hue like the Cerasuolo and Salice Salentino wines.
Sip On A Glass Of Fine Italian Rosato Now!
Italian rosato wines offer an exciting wine tasting experience that no wine lover would want to miss.
Get hold of some of these bottles we recommended to taste the crème de la crème of Italian Rosé.
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