It’s a fact! We are now enjoying more Rosé wine than ever before and, where sales of white and red wine have steadied in the past year, rosé has grown from strength to strength – A whopping increase of over 250% over the past 3 years with Spain showing the largest growth and Chile hard behind on its heels. In fact, there is fantastic choice from most wine producing areas now.
So, why have we quaffed so much of this lovely pink stuff recently? A number of reasons I guess…. warmer summers, more BBQ’s and a move away from ‘Alco Pops’? However, just as rosé Champagnes are enjoyed all year round it’s not just the summer months that lure us to purchase this wonderful bottle of pink. The modern winemakers are giving us a drier style of rosé; a perfect party wine that is very versatile in its ability to accompany a huge variety of foods such as stuffed peppers, pizzas, salads, Thai, oriental cuisine and tapas, not to mention some of the classic dishes such as Sushi, Hors d’oeuvres, Salmon en Croute & Lobster bisque.
The worlds winemakers, whom I might add used to turn their nose up at rosé wines, are now changing their views and bending over backwards to produce quality pink from a vast variety of grapes and putting an enormous amount of effort into the top quality rosé, rather than the sweet, thin, insipid styles that we were often offered.
Some of my favourites are the Italian Alpha Zeta Rosé at £5.90, made by a New Zealand winemaker, the up front fruity Concha y Toro Merlot Rosé from Chile that represents great value at £5.50 and for that special lobster or salmon dish the Mud House Pinot Noir Rosé from Marlborough, New Zealand, hand picked from a boutique winery. If I was choosing a bit of fizz, however, then it would have to be either the Rosé Legatura Prosecco, or the Langlois Chateau Rosé from the Loire, made in the same way as Champagne and a fantastic alternative at half the price.
Corks Out invites you to think Pink this month, taste the difference and try out some of our range of over 40 still and sparkling rosé wines, something for everyone, an accompaniment to a huge range of dishes and at a price to suit you.
Last updated: May 15, 2008