Pink blush

ebruary is the month of love, so let’s be a little cheesy and go for something pretty and pink to get us in the mood! Seriously though, rosé is generally a good wine to match with food. The soft, red-fruit flavours go well with Mediterranean cuisine, as well as with spicy dishes. Try these three wines with the one you love. Pinotage pinks are top of my list at the moment and the Backsberg Rosé 2017 (R53) is an absolute cracker. Pinotage responds well to delicate treatment, bringing out a wealth of strawberry notes with hints of pomegranate and watermelon. Made from early-picked grapes, it has a zingy acidity and a lightness in the mouth – perfect for a lazy summer Sunday. Holden Manz Rosé 2017 (R80) is made from an eclectic mix of grapes: It’s a combination of black-fruit Bordeaux grapes like cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, with some juicy red-fruit spice courtesy of grenache and cinsault, artfully blended with a tasty dollop of syrah for backbone. It’s made in a Provençal style so it’s bone dry with heady whiffs of herbs, red berries and soft cheese. Looking for a rosé to match with steak? Here you go. Okay, let’s push the boat out a little here. It doesn’t get more romantic than Italian pink bubbly! This isn’t a prosecco – that übertrendy wine style taking the world by storm – but it’s of similar ilk: fresh, fruity, off-dry and from the same region. I’m talking about the Valdo Floral Edition Brut (R265), which has to have the prettiest bottle of the year so far. With this in the ice bucket, Valentine’s Day is sorted, whether you’re spoiling yourself or spoiling the one you love.