This is awesome, thanks for sharing. I love a good rosé but I've definitely felt like there can be huge inconsistencies buying two bottles from the same vintage. Somehow I was under the impression it was more to do with UV and heat rather than just light in general, never heard about any of those studies that had been done until now. Honestly now that I think about it, I'm not sure I've ever seen a rosé in a darker glass bottle, definitely going to try to track one down now and see if I can taste a difference.
Right, I’d understand if perhaps they were less common, but that the consumer essentially has no option but to go for a clear bottle (unless going through the extra effort of tracking one that isn’t down) is shocking to me. But if it is the case that they just don’t sell I do understand the incentive from the producers end.
Great piece George. I have a friend who doesn’t drink rosé for this exact reason. Two other delicious rosés bottled in dark glass are Domaine Guiberteau’s Saumur Rosé (probably one of my favourites made from Cabernet Franc at the moment) and also Umathum’s Rosa made from Blaufränkish. Keep up the great writing and reporting!
Fascinating. Basically people have become used to the inferior flavour. Wow. I once read a similar thing about packets of crisps. As they sit on the shelves fat rancidity takes place, but over the years we’ve become used to it. Apparently.
Yeah such a shame that consumers aren’t given the opportunity even to try the difference. It’s like hearing Mozart through a pillow… can’t blame you for liking it, but imagine what you’d think if you just took the pillow away.
Fascinating article, George - thanks for this research! I had no idea a clear glass bottle could degrade the flavours so much. Strangely, I notice that a lot of natural wine makers (of all colours of wine) seem to be opting for clear glass too. I guess they didn't get the memo!
Thanks Vicky, and yes think that’s a real shame. I guess it’s part of the same misguided logic of trying to showcase fruitiness or perhaps the amount of skin contact on a white, but it goes against any sound logic.
That Wine Blast episode was awesome, they turned me onto the Red Wine Headache research I wrote about recently, too! Personally, I would love to see tinted bottles with a printed square the size of a QR code showing the hue of the wine, like a fabric swatch. Then we can get a hint at the color without necessitating clear glass. Plus, the color has no bearing on actual sugar content/literal sweetness, so we can perhaps unchain consumers knee-jerk association between the two this way.
I recently poured a 2016 rose at a get together, and sure enough, it was a rare one in a tinted bottle! So it was still holding up well.
Love that podcast and do hope my post wasn’t too derivative, but felt the word needed spreading. It’s not so much that every Rosé you get out there is undrinkable after all, but it’s the needless loss of potential quality that’s so irksome. The idea of showing the colour on the label is fine and if that’s a solution that satisfies people I’m all for it! Also honestly, there’s something super cool about a light pink wine oozing out of a dark and mysterious bottle. I feel we should embrace that more 😄
This is awesome, thanks for sharing. I love a good rosé but I've definitely felt like there can be huge inconsistencies buying two bottles from the same vintage. Somehow I was under the impression it was more to do with UV and heat rather than just light in general, never heard about any of those studies that had been done until now. Honestly now that I think about it, I'm not sure I've ever seen a rosé in a darker glass bottle, definitely going to try to track one down now and see if I can taste a difference.
Right, I’d understand if perhaps they were less common, but that the consumer essentially has no option but to go for a clear bottle (unless going through the extra effort of tracking one that isn’t down) is shocking to me. But if it is the case that they just don’t sell I do understand the incentive from the producers end.
Great piece George. I have a friend who doesn’t drink rosé for this exact reason. Two other delicious rosés bottled in dark glass are Domaine Guiberteau’s Saumur Rosé (probably one of my favourites made from Cabernet Franc at the moment) and also Umathum’s Rosa made from Blaufränkish. Keep up the great writing and reporting!
Thank you so much! Appreciate it! It’s such a shame this, because it’s such a lovely (potentially) drink. Thanks for the recommendations!
Fascinating. Basically people have become used to the inferior flavour. Wow. I once read a similar thing about packets of crisps. As they sit on the shelves fat rancidity takes place, but over the years we’ve become used to it. Apparently.
Yeah such a shame that consumers aren’t given the opportunity even to try the difference. It’s like hearing Mozart through a pillow… can’t blame you for liking it, but imagine what you’d think if you just took the pillow away.
A very good point.
Fascinating article, George - thanks for this research! I had no idea a clear glass bottle could degrade the flavours so much. Strangely, I notice that a lot of natural wine makers (of all colours of wine) seem to be opting for clear glass too. I guess they didn't get the memo!
Thanks Vicky, and yes think that’s a real shame. I guess it’s part of the same misguided logic of trying to showcase fruitiness or perhaps the amount of skin contact on a white, but it goes against any sound logic.
That Wine Blast episode was awesome, they turned me onto the Red Wine Headache research I wrote about recently, too! Personally, I would love to see tinted bottles with a printed square the size of a QR code showing the hue of the wine, like a fabric swatch. Then we can get a hint at the color without necessitating clear glass. Plus, the color has no bearing on actual sugar content/literal sweetness, so we can perhaps unchain consumers knee-jerk association between the two this way.
I recently poured a 2016 rose at a get together, and sure enough, it was a rare one in a tinted bottle! So it was still holding up well.
Love that podcast and do hope my post wasn’t too derivative, but felt the word needed spreading. It’s not so much that every Rosé you get out there is undrinkable after all, but it’s the needless loss of potential quality that’s so irksome. The idea of showing the colour on the label is fine and if that’s a solution that satisfies people I’m all for it! Also honestly, there’s something super cool about a light pink wine oozing out of a dark and mysterious bottle. I feel we should embrace that more 😄