Expert Guide To Best Rosé Wine

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A collage of four different bottles of rose wine

Provence is rosé’s spiritual home and for many its wines are the benchmark of what rosé should be – very light in colour and body, and dry and refreshing enough see you through a long afternoon in the sun, with or without light, summery food. This is the style that the world loves best, with producers such as Mirabeau, Minuty and Whispering Angel leading the march making excellent, chicly branded Provençal rosés.

Styles from other areas are well worth drinking, too. The Loire valley makes all manner, from off-dry, floral, strawberry-scented rosé d’anjou, to supremely elegant and refined wines from Touraine and Saumur, while Corsica is worth watching for its wonderful herbaceous rosés made from the native Sciacarello grape.

Rosé is usually made from red grapes that are gently crushed so only a little colour from the skins gets into the juice as it passes through the press. A very pale colour is often seen as an indicator of quality but this is not always the case. The grape skins also contain flavour compounds and tannins which add weight and structure, and some regions, such as Taval in the southern Rhône, leave the juice on the skins for several days to make beautiful dark pink rosés that have complexity and gravitas, and are a good way to win round deniers who’d prefer a glass of red whatever the weather. Generally the drier and paler the wine is the more delicate it’s likely to be, and so is best suited to salads and simply served seafood, while darker rosés from hot countries such as Australia and Chile tend to be riper and more overtly fruity, often with a touch of sweetness that goes really well with spicy dishes. Having said that, rosés are surprisingly versatile with food, so don’t get too hung up on seeking the perfect match.

Best rosé wines to try

Hattingley Kings rosé, £85, Hattingley Valley

This new release from award- winning Hampshire winery Hattingley makes for opulent celebratory fizz, whether you are sharing a bottle for Valentine’s (or even galentine’s). A pale pink with delicate bubbles and crisp notes of red apple and fresh strawberry.