In southern France, rose wine was a kind of leftover of the winemaking process; whatever didn't make the grade into the local red wine got "used up" by making rose. The stuff tasted fine there, mere months after being made, but it simply wasn't built to endure an ocean voyage or any significant passage of time (like 8 months).
Even more important, there has been a tremendous shift in recent years in winemaking philosophy in the south of France. Today, winemakers all across the south are making rose on purpose, and coming up with stuff which stays fresher longer.

Serving Tips
Rose wines, for the most part, are extremely dry, almost austere. This helps them to cut through the rich, garlicky food of in southern France. They work especially well with artichokes because after eating one, everything else tastes a bit sweeter. While that's a problem for most wines, the southern French roses are so dry that a little extra impression of sweetness is a good thing. Try a French rose with any artichoke dish, especially one including garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, herbs.

-David Rosengarten