Does anything sing more of summer than a glass of chilled rosé? As I write, the sun is splitting the stones all over the country. I hope the same weather conditions still prevail as you read this column. While rosé is enjoyed throughout the year by a small group of consumers, sales skyrocket once the sun comes out.
Rosé first became extremely fashionable when Sacha Lichine, a Bordelais, moved to Provençe where he made Whispering Angel, a rosé that took the world, and the United States in particular, by storm. Whispering Angel has since been followed by myriad wannabes, usually dressed up in bottles that look as if they might contain perfume.
I featured two wines from Languedoc producer Gérard Bertrand last week. Bertrand also produces the world’s most expensive rosé, made in limited quantities on his Clos du Temple estate. It sells for just under €200 a bottle. I tasted several vintages and can testify that it is a very nice wine. Before you rush out to buy a case, it is not available in this country – yet.
Most of the rosés we drink are Provençal or Provençal style. This means pale in colour, with light red and white fruits and a bone dry finish. Tasted with a blindfold, you might mistake them for a white wine. New World rosés tend to be fruitier, not a bad thing in my opinion.
Rosé is one of the great food wines, perfect with a wide range of salads, cheeses and cooked foods, including barbecued fish, white meats and herby pasta dishes.
Specially Selected Coteaux de Béziers 2022, France
12.5%, €8.99
Strawberries and peaches with a rounded finish. Drink it in the back garden. Goes well with prawns.
From: Aldi
Gaia 4.6H Rosé 2022, Nemea, Greece
12.5%, €12.71 (reduced from €16.95)
Fragrant and fresh with crisp wild strawberry and raspberry fruits and a lively backbone. Drink with summer salads, fried white fish or lighter chicken dishes.
From: O’Briens
Whispering Angel 2022, Côtes de Provençe
13%, €26.65
Floral aromas, crisp fresh redcurrant and red cherry fruits with a lively citrus finish. Drink it solo, with grilled white fish, raw or lightly cooked shellfish.
From: O’Briens, Molloy’s and all major supermarkets
Rosato 2021, Sette Piemonte, Organic
12.5%, €26.50-€28
Delightful, elegant piquant summer fruits with a dry finish. Try it by itself, or with seafood risotto or light pasta dishes.
From: Sheridan’s Cheesemongers; Ely Wine Store, Maynooth; Lilith, D7; Green Man Wines, D6; MacCurtain, Cork; The Fumbally, D8
