Brose is a Scottish word that means the uncooked version of oatmeal. Brosé is very different. It is a portmanteau that combines rosé and bro. Rosé is a type of wine that is pink from the incorporation of some grape skins, but is light enough in color to not be referred to as a red wine. A bro is a guy who wears flip-flops year round, played lacrosse and enjoys listening to Dave Matthews un-ironically.
If you haven’t heard the hype about rosé, you should know that serious barriers are being broken when it comes to men drinking pink wine. There’s no longer shame in pouring a “girly” wine into one’s glass. In fact, men proudly embrace pink wine. And some affectionately call it “Brosé.
The Brosé culture exists mostly because it’s fun to say brose. It also exists because it’s completely socially acceptable to drink pink wine and it’s damn tasty too. Union Wine Co. Owner and Winemaker Ryan Harms has seen first hand a rise in young males’ enthusiasm for rosé in the last few years. He believes this is because brosé speaks to and reflects the current culture and popularity of rosé with male consumers.
Union introduced Underwood Rosé in both cans and bottles last year and it has been an amazing success. If It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia has taught us anything it’s that wine is better in a can. “It hits on all the points for me, great fruit quality, refreshing and light, it’s a delicious little wine,” says Harms. “I particularly like it out of the can because the portion size is perfect for me and I still get a smile on my face every time I crack one open.” He adds, “In our world, rosé knows no season.”
Why Canned Wine?
The folks at Union have had long conversations about the barriers they have seen converting new consumers into wine drinkers. “I think the ceremony, language, and implied knowledge surrounding the consumption and understanding of wine is a huge barrier for consumers to enjoy wine.”
To that end, they thought the can was a great way to introduce people to wine and remove many of these barriers. “The can embodies this idea of pinkies down that we have been using in social media,” says Harms. You can’t easily stick your nose in the can, swirling it is hard and feels awkward. “So, I think it removes those vestiges of traditional wine culture.” It’s also the perfect container to drink wine out of for those brose fans out there.
“It hopefully allows you to enjoy wine without focusing on it and more importantly enjoy what you are doing or who you are with.” There is also a very functional aspect to the cans. “It allows consumers to take wine where glass is not allowed or less than ideal which in our mind is a great opportunity and new market.”
Union Wine Company
Founded in 2005, Union Wine Company embraces the artistry of making great wine, minus all the fuss. “Union cares more about what goes into the glass than what kind of glass it is,” says Harms. “We enjoy challenging the convention that says that Oregon wines have to be expensive, and we have made it our mission with Union Wine Co. to create quality wines that our friends and can afford.” By being efficient about everything, from how they set up the winery to how they make wine, they knew they could successfully create a marriage of craft and small-scale manufacturing. “We chose to name the company Union to honor and bring together the diversity, spirit and character of Oregon that we love.”
He originally wanted to be a doctor, but mid-way through Harms’ sophomore year of college he realized that medicine wasn’t going to be a reality for him. “I have always been a very directed person and so reaching this point and not having a direction on what to do next was hard.” Fortunately, it allowed him to think about what else he might want to do in life. “I had been introduced to wine and food via my girlfriend’s family in high school and college.Wine was an integral part of their dinner table and I always enjoyed learning about the producers, the varietals, and culture.”
In this moment, not even twenty-one years of old, he thought it might actually be a cool career. He ended up connecting with Lynn Penner-Ash at Rex Hill Vineyards in Oregon. “She eventually offered me a job for harvest as an intern. During that experience I fell in love with Oregon, and the wine business.”
He finished his undergraduate work in environmental science, spent two years in the corporate world and realized that following his dreams of becoming a part of the wine industry was what he wanted to do. “Sixteen years ago I returned to Oregon and the wine business to follow those dreams.”
Union has three different sub-labels—Underwood, Kings Ridge, and Alchemist. “Within the Underwood brand we currently have a Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Rosé available in both cans and bottles.” Their Kings Ridge includes a Riesling, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris and the Alchemist offers a Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir. “The three brands allow us to go to retailers with different options and brand personalities.”
Here are some other great offerings for Brosé Season:
- Balletto Vineyards 2015 Rosé of Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley ($18 SRP)
- Justin Vineyards 2015 Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles ($20 SRP)
- Languedoc Region Rosés: The Languedoc region in France has several producers that import rosé and retail between $12-$25.
Others include: Rosé from Provence, France, is an obvious choice. Also, Oregon also makes lovely rosé. The Anna Amie Huntington Hill Rosé of Pinot Gris is a personal favorite.
