Let’s Get Serious About Rosé

If there is one thing wine buffs cannot agree on, it is rosé.

Many a wine connoisseur has been reluctant to embrace this blush-hued blend, with many failing to see past rosé’s reputation as a wine for quaffing. As one of the favourite tipples of young, female drinkers and its pretty pink hue, one does not have the think too hard as to why self-described wine lovers may bristle at the thought of a glass of chilled rosé.

However, many wine enthusiasts are looking beyond its penchant for summer barbeques and beach days to acknowledge that there’s more to rosé than its pretty-in-pink marketing. In fact, rosé is beginning to outgrow its reputation of fun and frivolity to emerge as a sensual, complex wine that more than holds its own against white and red counterparts.

Forget the overly acidic and watery blends characteristic of budget bottles of rosé – the best rosé makers in the world, whether they be in France’s famed rosé mecca of Provence or Negro Amara, Puglia or Montepulciano in Italy, are producing moreish styles that ooze complexity thanks to rich, oaked aromas. 

Great rosé can take on a range of notes and flavours reminiscent of the reds and whites revered by wine lovers, from soft and ripe to lush, velvety and even tannic. Depending on the grape, rosé can take on a range of aromas and notes that offer a drinkable yet sophisticated experience. Rosé made from Grenache is fruitiness abound with strawberry, orange and hibiscus, while Provence styles still offer mouth-watering juiciness with a distinctive minerality on the palate. If you’re still not convinced rosé is a ‘serious’ wine, a Tavel rosé has the body and structure to hint at being an earthy, character-laden red wine.

With a spectrum of styles that lean from fruity and juicy to delectably rich and savoury, rosé has much more to offer than simply being a pretty summer wine. Whether you are looking for a rosé to drink now or one to age for enhanced complexity (yes, you can age some rosés), here are our pick of finest blush-hued wines for the most astute of wine lovers:

 

  • Chateau Peyrassol – tangy fruit melded with white flowers and savoury spices
  • Copain Wines Les Voisins Rosé of Pinot Noir – this is a serious rosé laden with watermelon, fennel and perfectly blended tannins
  • Gaia ’14-18-H’ Agiorgitiko Rosé – this punchy yet complex rosé from Greece offers fruity notes and an eye-catching deep pink hue
  • Les Chemins de Bassac Isa Rosé – this robust blend offers complex, savoury character paired with juicy strawberry and cherry flavours.

  

House your new rosé additions in one of Grand Cru’s premium wine storage solutions. With a broad range of wine fridges available to suit a variety of storage needs, you are bound to find a wine fridge to store your new collection of rosé.