Rosé wines for summer and recipes to go with them
The sun is shining, it’s warm, the evenings are still light and we’re taking dinner outdoors – there’s no better time of the year to drink rosé. And plenty of us are choosing a bottle of the blush pink stuff over white – Sainsbury’s alone sells over 15 million bottles of rosé wine a year!
Most rosé is made pink by leaving the juice in contact with dark grape skins for a few hours – the longer the skins are left to macerate; the darker the hue of pink.
Here are ten of our favourite rosés and recipes to drink them with. Just be sure to keep the bottle in an ice bucket.
1. Mirabeau Pure, £14.99, Waitrose
A Côtes de Provence rosé made with grapes that are harvested at night time when sugar levels in the grapes are more stable. Open a chilled bottle for griddled prawns with garlic butter.
2. Château Léoube, £17.49, Daylesford
From Daylesford’s very own French vineyard. The perfect light match for a quick mozzarella and parma ham salad.
3. Miraval, £19.99, Majestic
The wine from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s 35 bedroom Château Miral estate in Provence. Open this beautiful bottle for a Cretan dakos salad made with tomatoes, olives and feta.
4. Baron Gassier, £13, Sainsbury’s, Located east of Aix-en-Provence, the vines for this rosé nestle into the foothills of the Sainte-Victoire mountain. Enjoy this peachy wine with a summer chicken traybake.
5. Taittinger Prestige rosé, £58.50, Fortnum & Mason
Made in one of the few remaining champagne houses which is owned and actively managed by the Taittinger family. Pop the cork and celebrate with a berry dessert like this French strawberry tart.
6. Tesco Finest Sancerre rosé, £12, Tesco
Made exclusively in the family winery by Claude Fournier at their estate in Verdigny, Loire Valley. A light crab salad would be just the ticket with this rosy sancerre.
7. Whispering Angel, £24.99, Selfridges
A favourite with lots of people – made at Chateau d’Esclans in La Motte en Provence. A special wine for a special summery pizza like this one with courgettes and broad beans.
8. Johann Wolf, £9.99 Waitrose Cellar
This pinot noir rosé is from Pfalz in Germany. This lovely wine can handle something spicy like these red Thai mussels.
10. Vin de Provence, £8.50, Asda
No guessing with this one – the wine is from exactly where it says on the bottle. Enjoy its fruity notes with smoky, griddled meats such as this barbecued butterflied leg of lamb.