There was a time when everything wasn’t rosy, and the popular pink drink lost its footing and in turn it’s sparkle. For years rosé was seen as a bit on a simple and frivolous wine, but trends have changed, and this historic staple has made a big resurgence and is here to stay.
There may be those who think rosé wine is a trendy wine of the 21st century, but the back story of this pink tipple is heavily rooted in history and can be traced back to the Greeks who are known to have planted the first grapevines in Provence around 2,600 years ago. Provence is thought to be the oldest wine region in France, with rosé the oldest known wine.
Provence is the absolute epicentre of fine rosé, with nearly 90% of wine production in Provence dedicated to its production. The sunny south-eastern corner of France, including the fashionable Riviera around St Tropez and Cannes provide the perfect spot to produce the popular Provence pinks. A combination of warm sunshine, soils, terrain, and the cooling breeze of the Mediterranean Sea provide succulent conditions for the production of the award-winning rosés which are now shipped globally.
In Provence, making rosé is a speciality, and to many a longstanding way of life. Rosé is a type of wine that incorporates some of the colour from the grape skins, but not enough to qualify it as red.
As the number one French region to produce rosé wine Provence produced 150 million AOC bottles in 2020, accounting for 38% of rosé production nationwide and 4.2% around the world. With high sales hitting the warmer months you’d be tricked into thinking that rosé is a summertime wine, but the appetite for rosé is set to stay as the go to wine throughout the seasons.
With an array of award-winning rosés on the market there is sure to be a popular pink to tantalise your tastebuds from light and refreshing, thirst-quenching to fruit packed. Here are some of the top picks hitting our radar for some of the finest crisp and distinctive roses to tantalise the tastebuds.
Mirabeau has collected some of the most prestigious wine industry awards and created one of the world’s most loved brands of rosé, based on a 20-acre estate inland from St Tropez. Delicate, luminous pale lychee colour with some silver reflexes. A complex rosé with a wide aromatic palette on the nose, whilst being elegant and subtle.
Not only does this rosé have serious curb appeal with its standout stylish bottle, this eye turner also houses a stunning rosé. The dry, white pepper notes come from the Syrah and the Rolle grape lends acidity, brightness and notes of citrus. Freshness and originality, produced from a mesmerising vineyard on the edge of the Plaine des Maures nature reserve in Provence.
One of the best and known as “the golden boy of rosé” this fine pink is also home to an attractive sculptured bottle, with an equally elegant label. Wonderfully textured, with subtle apricot and berry fruits, providing top balance. With aromas of creamy peach, redcurrant, sliced apple and citrus and wet stone. Whispering Angel styled therosé revolution and helped transform the market into an elegant upmarket affair with a boom in sales that followed.
With high standards in quality and style the options for a rosé are immense. The continuous high growth of the Provencal rosé has shown it’s not just a fad and the trend for pink continues to elevate the rosé market.
