For a long time, rosé wine was trapped in the notion that it was a light drink to be enjoyed chilled only in summer. Some also held the negative perception that it was made from early-run juice bled off to intensify red wine, or that it was a light drink for people who didn't know wine. Rosé wine was consumed mostly like a prop to lift the mood of brunches, picnics, and outdoor gatherings, and compared with red wines that can age long-term, it tended to be rated less as a "serious wine."
But in recent years, rosé has been reappraised as a standalone category that holds the acidity of white and the structure of red at the same time, expanding its stature as a premium wine that represents a sophisticated lifestyle.
This shift is borne out in actual statistics. According to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), global rosé wine consumption has drawn a steady upward curve since 2000, rising about 17% through 2024. Rosé now accounts for around 10% of global wine consumption, and combined with white wine volumes, makes up more than half of the overall market.
As of 2024, the rosé market has reached a production level of about 20 million hectoliters (hl), moving beyond a trend-sensitive wine to establish itself as a driver of structural change in the global wine market by partly offsetting the decline in red wine consumption.
Pio Boffa, the fourth-generation head of Pio Cesare, a master of Piedmont, was a figure who spotted this market current a step ahead. In 1997, the year his only daughter, Federica Rosy, was born, he conceived a special wine named after her. His determination to craft a rosé wine as serious and ageworthy as Barolo culminated, after long research, in "Rosy," with the first vintage released in 2017. Pio Cesare is now led by Federica Rosy.
In the late 1990s, when she was born, Piedmont still held firmly to patriarchal traditions and principles of firstborn-son succession. Against that backdrop, Pio Boffa putting his daughter's name front and center on the wine label was also a symbolic declaration recognizing her as a proud member and successor of the family. It also broke rosé wine free from the image of a secondary genre and granted it status as an independent work. Founded in 1881, Pio Cesare is a classic, traditional winery that built its reputation on Barolo and Barbaresco; it is considered one of the most classical producers in Piedmont, even using ancient Roman walls in downtown Alba as its underground cellar.
On the technical side, "Rosy" differs from typical rosé wines from production philosophy onward. Rather than the common approach that highlights freshness through short maceration and stainless-steel fermentation, Rosy briefly macerates the grape skins at cool temperatures to draw an elegant color. Fermentation and aging use both stainless-steel tanks and French oak barrels used two to three times, yielding a more three-dimensional texture. Notably, it blends Nebbiolo, Piedmont's native variety, with Syrah. To preserve the grapes' delicacy, they are harvested early and pressed gently.
This method leads to a reversal on the palate. On top of the delicate rose aromas and incisive acidity delivered by Nebbiolo, the weight of black fruit and the distinctive spiciness of robust Syrah are layered. Behind the bright aromas of wild strawberry and raspberry that fill the glass, subtle floral and spice nuances stack in layers. In the mouth, elegant structure and refined acidity strike perfect balance, giving a depth rarely seen in rosé wines. It won "Best of 2026" in the rosé wine category at the '2026 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards.
Thanks to its elegant structure, it pairs beautifully not only with meats like pork and chicken but also with seafood dishes including shrimp. It also boasts a broad spectrum that spans cured meats such as salami and prosciutto, a variety of cheeses, and even casual menus like pizza and pasta. The official importer in Korea is CSR Wine Co., Ltd.