EVERYTHING’S coming up rosés as our summer fondness for the pink stuff shows no sign of abating. Of course, they come in all shades from pale Provencal ‘onion-skin’ to vibrant Spanish strawberry and on the palate from austerely dry to exuberantly fruity. Whatever suits you best with one caveat – beware the industrial ‘blushes’, the ones that smell of talc and taste like bubblegum. Here’s a dozen of the best (in no order of preference) to conjure up some sunshine for us:
Yes, it’s Brad and Angelina’s pale-pink Provencal baby, which amazingly lives up to the hype
Domaine des Tourelles Rosé 2015. £9.99. Kwoff, Bury
This full-bodied example, from a Lebanese winery founded in 1868 by a French adventurer, is full-bodied, spicy and savoury, so a perfect partner for grilled lamb and lemony/garlicky meze. kwoff.co.uk
Monte da Peceguina 2014. £16.50. Salut, Manchester
The Herdade da Maladhina Nova estate from Portugal’s Alentejo region is a real mouthful and so is their beautifully rosé with its salmon colour, red fruit with a touch of toast nose and long, refreshing finish. Salut also stock a more unusual thirst-quenching pink, the biodynamic Meinklang Prosa Frizzante (£15.95) from Austria – one for the adventurous. salut.co.uk
Vino Al Vent Rosado. £16.55 (£21.95 to drink in). Lunya, Manchester/Liverpool
Bobal, the indigenous grape variety of Spain’s Utiel-Requena region outside Valencia, makes some fine, fragrant reds and, on the evidence of this intense, raspberry rosado from Bodegas Coviñas, equally good (deep) pinks. Summer pudding aromas followed by persistent fruit balanced with a slash of acidity. Lovely. lunya.co.uk
Muga Rosado Rioja 2015. £7.95. Wine Society
A different Spanish rosado from one of the great traditional Rioja bodegas. A world away from the powerful, wood-aged tintos Muga is acclaimed for, this pale, limpid pink, made from 60 per cent Garnacha, 10 per cent Tempranillo and 30 per cent local white grape Viura, is delicate and refreshing. thewinesociety.com
Abando Rioja Rosado 2013. £12. Evuna, Manchester
Veering in a totally different Rioja rosado direction, Bodegas Santalba’s barrel-fermented beast divided opinion among friends who tasted it with me. While I was in the ‘Leave’ camp reacting to its exotic, new American oak vanilla-fuelled fruitiness, most voted enthusiastically ‘Remain’. Less divisive is the same winery’s Vina Hermosa Rosado 2015 – a bargain £8 at Evuna. evuna.com
Muga Rosado
Domaine des Jeanne Prestige 2015. £15. Hanging Ditch, Manchester
Another oaked rosé, this time from the idyllic Luberon in Provence. Here barrel-blending offers a subtly spicy enhancement of the Welsh-owned domaine’s standard pink ‘un (not stocked by HD). Try also, for the same price, the gently, strawberryish sparkler, JJ Mousseux. hangingditch.com
STAR BUY Chateau Sainte Marguerite Grande Reserve 2015. £15.95. Great Western Wines
This classic, Cotes de Provence rosé, crafted from organic Grenache grapes, follows up a red-fruit bouquet and palest of hues with a surprisingly powerful, taste profile, all citrus, silk, herbs and a lingering freshness. greatwesternwine.co.uk
Chateau MiravalChateau Miraval Cotes de Provence 2015. £19.50. Harvey Nichols
Yes, it’s Brad and Angelina’s pale-pink Provencal baby, which amazingly lives up to the hype, delivering a berry fragrance and then adding a hit of peach on the palate and surprising complexity in the aftertaste. The star couple bought the 500 hectare Miraval estate in the Var seven years ago, farming it organically and leaving the winemaking to the legendary Perrin family. The fist vintage appeared in 2012. harveynichols.com/food-and-wine-wines-and-spirits-wine-rose-wine
Chateau Minuty Cotes de Provence 2015 £11.99 (mix six £9.99). Majestic
Despite its seaside vineyard location on the St Tropez peninsula the star quality from Minuty is firmly in the glass. This blend of Grenache, Cinsault and the little known Tibouren grape has long been a personal favourite. The wine is pale honeysuckle pink in colour with floral and candied peel aromas; in the mouth it has plenty of fresh acidity yet a ripe roundness. majestic.co.uk
Chateau Gairord Cotes de Provence 2015. £11.99 (£19.99 to drink in). Cork of the North, Sale
Another organic rosé with a fresh purity to it. Pale salmon in colour, strawberry and perhaps grapefruit on the nose and a decidedly floral palate. A crowd pleaser at this new South Manchester wine bar. corkofthenorth.co.uk
Cork of the NorthDomaine Jean Teiller Rosé Menetou Salon 2015. £14.50. Yapp
Provence doesn’t entirely rule the French rosé roost. Wiltshire-based Yapp stock some great pinks from there (Chateaus La Canorgue and Sainte Magdeleine), but Loire has long been one of their specialities. Check out this beautiful rosé from an area close to (and better value than) Sancerre. It’s made entirely from Pinot Noir. Finesse, fruitiness and a minerality to add interest. A great summer food wine. yapp.co.uk
Domaine David Sistreau ‘Les Epsailles' 2014. £16.95. Berry Bros Rudd
This classic, fruity Sancerre rosé came close to being my Star Buy. 2014 was great vintage formPinto Noir in the region and light pressing and cool ferment produced a pale, summer pudding charmer. That same description could be applied to the latest addition to their own label range – the pale, ripe and herby 2015 BBR Provence Rosé by Chateau La Mascaronne, on introductory offer at £10 instead of £12.95 until the end of June. As is obvious, in the Rosé Scenario all roads eventually lead to Provence. bbr.com
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