- HOME
- FOOD & DRINK
Best Rosé Wines For Balmy Summer Evenings
Sip your way through summer with these still pinks
By | 2 years ago
‘Tis the season… to drink rosé. Nothing says summer like a crisp glass of pink wine – whether you’re having lunch on the beach in St Tropez or simply in your garden toasting to the end of a long day. But not all rosés are made equal.
For some people, there’s only one region worth knowing when it comes to rosé: Provence. Distinctive in its pale pink colour and dry taste, Provencal rosé has soared in popularity in recent times, helped by vogueish brands which capture the sun-drenched spirit of the French Riviera.
While there’s no denying Provence produces some of the tastiest rosés around, other regions shouldn’t be overlooked – great pink wines are made outside of France too, often offering unique flavour palates. Here we pick 10 of the best rosé wines for summer 2022, with a mix of bottles from both esteemed wineries and exciting newbies.
Best Rosé Wines For Summer 2022
amie rosé
Dreamt up during lockdown, amie is the brainchild of couple Will Sandbach and Abbie Roden, who set out to create a vegan, organic rosé that was both stylish and affordable. Produced in the French region of the Languedoc, amie rosé is made from 100 per cent Cinsault, a grape native to the South of France, with a fresh, vibrant flavour evoking red berry and cherry blossom.
£15, drinkamie.com
Sea Change Provence Rosé
This impressive producer combines a love for great wine with a desire to protect our oceans. Paper for the labels comes from certified sustainable forests and is made partially from grape waste, and for every bottle sold a donation is made to marine charities. Happily, the wine tastes great too. Sea Change’s Provence rosé has flavours of zesty grapefruit, white peach and pineapple, paired well with fresh seafood and summer salads.
£16.99, seachangewine.com
Château Minuty 281
Another famed Provencal producer, Chateau Minuty has been making wine for almost a century. Its 281 vintage rosé is a blush pink with delicate peach and melon aromas, and goes well with shellfish – whether that’s roasted lobster or scallop risotto.
£71.99, selfridges.com
Weingut Winter Pinot Noir Rosé
One of the most exciting winemakers in Germany is Stefan Winter, who grew up in the wine region of Rheinhessen. His Pinot Noir Rosé is a pale pink, dry wine with notes of nectarine, red apple and rhubarb – perfect for pairing with prawns or a smoked chicken salad.
£17.50, swig.co.uk
The Pale, Rosé by Sacha Lichine
Back in 2006, Sacha Lichine took over Château d’Esclans to create the trendiest pink on the block: Whispering Angel. Now he’s back with an equally chic brand called The Pale. Crafted with grapes from the Vin de Pays Du Var region of Provence, it’s a dry, refreshing rosé with a clean finish and bright red fruit flavours. The bottle features a snazzy design too, inspired by the soirées of the Jazz Age.
£9.99, waitrosecellar.com
Ramón Bilbao Rioja Rosado
Hailed as one of Spain’s most innovative producers, Ramón Bilbao dates back to 1924, when Don Ramón Bilbao Murga set up his home in the heart of Rioja’s wine region, Haro. The Rioja Rosado is a mix of Viura and Garnacha grapes, with a light, fresh palette and aromas of fresh fruit, lemon and cherries. At just £8 a bottle, it’s a bargain too.
£8, tesco.com
Whispering Angel Provence Rosé
We couldn’t miss Whispering Angel off the list, the flagship wine of Château d’Esclans which has played a key role in revolutionising rosé. With its champagne-style branding and picture-perfect hue, no surprise it has become the go-to tipple for influencers and A-listers alike (Adele and the Beckhams are fans) – but it’s certainly not style over substance. This Provence rosé slips down dangerously easily, with a silky texture and citric finish.
£23.99, majestic.co.uk
Lyme Bay Shoreline Rosé
Turns out we can do rosé too. Devon winery Lyme Bay produces an excellent English rosé made from pinot noir, pinot précose and dornfelder grapes, with a soft fruit character and citrus balance – perfect for serving with dinner.
£15.99, lymebaywinery.co.uk
AIX Rosé 2021 Coteaux d’Aix en Provence
A wine designed for sharing, AIX should be your go-to rosé for summer parties. Made in Provence, its bottles come in sizes big and small – from the classic 75cl to a 15L Nebuchadnezzar (the equivalent of 20 bottles). With its fresh and fragrant nose, and notes of white peach, nectarine and lemon, it’s the perfect wine to drink all day long.
£14.75, henningswine.co.uk
Quatre Vin
One of the new kids on the rosé block, Quatre Vin is the brainchild of a group of four friends: former Made in Chelsea star Oliver Proudlock and his wife Emma Louise Connolly, alongside Elliot Awin and Paula Anton. Wines are organically farmed and made at a family-run winery in Provence, with first of the range launched just last year: a pale peachy, pale rosé with a light floral touch.
£16.99, qvwine.com
