EC nixes blended rose wine

ROME, June 8 (UPI) -- Bowing to pressure from Italy, Spain and France, the European Commission says it has dropped plans for rose to be made by blending red and white wines.

"It is important that we listen to our producers when they are concerned about changes to our regulations," said Mariann Fischer Boel, the European Farm Commissioner.

The commission's decision to keep its ban against blended rose will ensure the highest quality of "a product rich in history," Italian Agriculture Minister Luca Zaia told the Italian news agency ANSA in a story published Monday.

"This is the Europe we want, one based on the respect of identity, quality, food safety and tradition," Zaia said.

Authentic rose gets its color from the skins of crushed black grapes rather than by mixing wines of different colors, Zaia said.

Italy, France and Spain are Europe's three largest producers of rose wine.