Pretty in Pink: Rosé wines for summer drinking

Pretty in Pink: Rosé wines for summer drinking

Rosé wines were thought irredeemably naff by past generations of wine drinkers. Only in this century have rosé wines come back into fashion after years of neglect. Now we can’t get enough of them, especially on sunny summer days. Indeed, rosé wines are so in vogue they are part of the basket of goods measuring the UK Retail Price Index (RPI). Rosé wines are not about chick appeal; they are chic in their own right.

The sickly sweet and sticky soda-pop pinks of old are in steep decline. Too often products of poor winemaking, they look like failed red wine and taste of mouthwash. Such vivid confections are the colour of Liberace’s boudoir. No wonder they are neither credible nor enjoyable drinking.

Style

These days, the favoured rosé style is dry and fresh, though softer and balanced off-dry examples are good too. And they are more than a simple apéritif, being excellent food partners; for alfresco dining, summer picnics, BBQ’s and much more besides. A good rosé should revive you, not tire you out.

Call it what you will. Rosé, as they do in France, Rosado in Spain, Rosato in Italy, or even Blush (sic) in the USA. You’ll find rosé made from every kind of red grape variety. Indeed, the diversity found in Rosé is what makes it such an interesting category.

Making Rosé

Pink wine traditionally came from France and Spain. Since the Millenium, the entire world has joined the pink trend. Rosés were originally made to create a light, refreshing wine for long hot summer days. That was especially so in those parts more suited for red rather than white grapes.

One way to make rosé is to bleed pale pink juice off red grapes in the early stages of winemaking in a process called saignée. This also increases the concentration of the finished red wine. However, maintaining colour consistency is difficult using this process.

Alternatively, the pinks are made from early picked red grapes subjected to only brief skin contact and then applying modern white winemaking techniques to the resulting pink juice.

The goal is to ensure freshness, acidity and red fruit aromas and flavours. Harsh tannins and most of the colour is left behind.

Because the juice of most grape varieties is white, it’s the grape skins that contain  all the colour and tannin. Consequently, the winemaker decides how long the grape skins remain in contact with the juice. So for rosé, this is usually only a matter of hours, leaving behind most of the colour and tannin. The resultant pale juice is fermented, often in stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures to preserve aromas and flavours. Short maturation, often on the lees, lets those flavours sing.

Only relatively few oaked rosé wines are made because the goal is to ensure freshness, acidity and red fruit aromas and flavours. Similarly, the softening secondary malolactic fermentation is usually blocked, though there are exceptions.

Not a blend of white and red

Good Rosé is never a blend of finished red and white wines. With a couple of exceptions, blending red wine and white wine is a recipe for insipidity. Those blends won’t have much real rosé character. Nothing to stop you blending or even co-fermenting different grape varieties though.

The notable exception to this is with sparkling rosé wines including Champagne and Crémant. This fizz blends wines made from different grapes and years for consistency.

Pretty in Pink

With any rosé, the colour is a significant part of the appeal. It must look pretty! While the most popular colour is “Provençal pink” , there is a remarkably broad spectrum of colour variations. This is dependent on the grape variety and the amount of skin contact chosen. Colours range from the palest onion skin, through orange, to salmon, rose petal, and finally tomato and pomegranate.

Rosé combines elements of both white and red wine styles. Red wine fruit flavours are accompanied by white wine’s crisp acidity without tiring tannins and high alcohol.

Hence rosé occupies the middle ground; it can appeal to wine drinkers that usually prefer red or conversely to those that choose whites. But rosé wines don’t have to be middle of the road!

Drink young

Most rosé is for young drinking. Usually, rosé doesn’t age well and so best drunk young. Typically that’s in the summer following the vintage, before the fruit flavours and freshness start to fade, though more robust examples are good for 3-4 years.

A light chill should be all you need for a summer apéritif, avoid over-chilling. Food-wise, good dry rosé is versatile at any time of year and often underestimated in those respects.

They make an excellent partner for charcuterie. Try ham, salami and pâté. Fuller bodied examples go well with Tapas and also middle-eastern food. The heftier ones are a good foil for a barbeque while lighter ones match sushi and sashimi . Try the bolder ones with milder curries because they avoid the clash of food spices with wine tannins. And can anything beat rosé with strawberries?

Rosé wines to try this summer

Below aren TEN still rosé wines well worth trying, with sample UK stockists and prices. A light chill is all you need to enjoy them at their best. I’ve chosen a diverse mix of colours, styles and grape varieties from different locations around the globe. There’s food matching ideas too. Hence, there’s something here for everyone.

Château Massaya, Classic Rosé. Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, 2024. 13.5%

Deep coloured, strawberries and cream from a top Lebanese producer. Made from Syrah and Cinsault. Delicate and floral, perfumed aromatics; strawberry and peach and has a super-fresh but creamy finish. An essential companion to any middle-eastern food. The Wine Society £16.50

Rimauresq, AC Côtes de Provence, Cru Classé, France, 2025. 13%

A truly classic rosé, salmon pink and certified organic too. Delicate and elegant berry fruit underpinned, with typical earthy, spicy and garrigue notes. Dry, with the typically slippery texture that is the subtle hallmark of Provençal rosé. Made from 33.7% Cinsault, 29.4% Grenache, 10.6% Mourvèdre, 8.6% Carignan, 7.4% Rolle, 5.6% Tibouren, 3.3% Syrah and 1.4% Ugni Blanc. Unusually, this ages really well. A classic match is a fish soup with lots of Aioli and crusty bread. Or try Carpaccio, salads. Vinatis, £18.85

Bodegas Coviñas, La Copa de Bobal Rosado, DO Utiel-Requena, Spain, 2025. 12.5%

100% Bobal grape. This ultra-modern crisp rosé from the enormous Coviñas co-operative is a delight with Paella. Deep raspberry pink, in the Spanish Clarete style. Strawberry flavours, racy acidity and the finish leaves a taste of rosewater. Blanco and Gomez, £13.99

Clos Culombu, Rosé, AC Corse-Calvi, Corsica, France, 2025. 13%

A splendid, characterful example of Corsican rosé. Demeter certified Biodynamic too. It’s 30% Neilluccio (Sangiovese), 50% Sciaccarellu (Mammolo) and 20% Elegante (Grenache). This is all about red berries cut with lemons and herbs. Langoustines, salami and charcuterie all hit the spot. The Wine Society, £15.50

Oxney, Rosé, East Sussex,  England, 2023. 11%

64% Pinot Noir and 36% Pinot Meunier made into a still rosé wine. Certified organic by the Soil Association. Light, bright and full of cranberry, strawberry and citrus flavours. Delicate and pretty, bone dry. Oxney is one of my favourite English wine producers and this is a perfect way to celebrate the forthcoming English Wine Week.  Try it with Paté. Buy Direct or Online from Oxney, £24.00

Monte del Frà, Chiaretto di Bardolino, DOC Bardolino, Veneto, Italy, 2024. 12.5%

60% Corvina, 35% Molinara and 5% Rondinella from the eastern shores of Lake Garda. Chiaretto di Bardolino is an Italian classic. A salmon/orange colour, with hints of hazelnut and saffron in the red berry mix. Lively and refreshing, imagine yourself sitting on the shores of Lago Garda with a plate of Frutti di Mare. VINVM, £13.45  There are more great Chiaretto selections here.

Kleinood, Tamboerskloof, Katharien Syrah Rosé, WO Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2022. 13%

This copper-coloured rosé has attractive tropical fruit flavours mixed in with the more usual strawberry and raspberry profile. Add floral aromatics, a silky texture and a long dry finish, and you have a winning combination. 100% Syrah, fermented in old oak vats, but there are no oak flavours here. Try it with mushroom dishes. The Fine Wine Company, £14.99

Torres, Natureo Rosé 0.0,  Spain, 2025. 0%

Low and No Alcohol wine is increasingly popular, so this smart example from Torres is one of the best examples of Rosé, with the alcohol mechanically removed.  This one is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Cherry coloured, with cherry favours and character and aromas of grapefruit. Torres are part of Wineries for Climate Action, are B Corp, Organic and Fair Trade certified. Crudite and salad heaven. Latitude, Leeds £9.99

Santa Venere, Cirò Rosato Gaglioppo, DOC Cirò, Calabria, Italy  2025.  12.5%

Santa Venere are organic and really show what the native Gaglioppo grape can do. Here, the grapes are early picked and after an hour on the skins, vinification is as for a white wine, with maturation for five months on the lees.  The result is a full flavoured bright pink, with aromas of red berry and peony. The palate shows citrus and pomegranate , with a chalky mineral sensation on the finish. Great value! The Wine Society, £12.50

Charles Melton, Rose of Virginia, Barossa Valley, Australia, 2023. 12.5%

This is a real blockbuster, the colour of a pomegranate. It’s a blend, predominantly 64% Grenache, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 27% Shiraz. All the grapes co-ferment together! It’s a Marmite wine in that you’ll love it or hate it, but it’s unique in expression. Aromas of rose petals, even Turkish Delight. Then, a bold palate of black cherry, with some residual sweetness and tannins. Long, black pepper finish. This wine pushes the envelope of what rosé can be. Grilled food? Bring on the Barbie! VINVM £27.25

And finally

As we approach the Solstice, it’s time to think and drink pink this summer! Moreover, International Rosé Day 2026 is Friday June 26. So why not try one of these wines?

Rosé is usually sold in clear-glass bottles so you can see the colour. So do be mindful of Lightstrike, a wine fault caused by exposure to sunlight. Try to avoid buying from the front of a shelf display and keep out of the light until it’s time to open.

Meanwhile, ten Rosé Champagnes can be found here.