RAISE A GLASS

It’s the perfect time of year to enjoy a glass of rosé wine, and the choice is immense.

Even the combination of colours is so diverse. It’s a bit like one of those paper paint palettes you pick up from a decorating shop.

You only have to stand in front of any rosé wine shelf and your eyes will stray across myriad different hues. But why is that?

The majority of rosé is made by the juice of black grapes having contact with the skins. Depending on how long that contact lasts, or which grape varieties are used, the pink hues can range across baby-plush pink, salmon and onion-skin colours to a deep lush cerise.

It’s not a case of mixing red and white wines; though in the case of pink champagne, that is allowed.

As National Pink Day is coming up (June 23) which is hot on the heels of the recent National Rosé Day (June 11), here are three pink wines I tasted to herald both occasions.

I’ll bring you more pinks next time to help tick you along.

■ Babele Rosé 2021 (RRP £8.99 or £7.99 in a mix case of 12, at Laithwaites): This is one of a new range from Romanian producers Cramele Recas, which are continuing to impress UK palates with good value wines. This is a blend of international varieties merlot, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon and syrah, together with the Romanian grape feteasca neagra. I enjoyed a Chinese takeaway; and the wine’s floral, raspberry and quince notes were a great match.

■ The Pale Rosé by Sacha Lichine 2021 (RRP £13.99, Waitrose, and Majestic in a buy six deal): This is a very pretty label, and a very pretty wine. It’s from the Var region in Provence, where grapes grow close to the Mediterranean coast. The sun makes the grapes ripe with fruit, and the coastal breeze ensures balanced acidity. It is aromatic and fresh, fresh, fresh, with red berry fruits and tangerine peel.

■ Ramón Bilbao, Rosado 2021 (RRP £8 Tesco): This wine was inspired, 10 years ago, by pale pink Rioja rosados found in the Ramón winemaker’s own town. Now there’s a new winemaker leading the way, but the style continues. It’s a blend of 85% garnacha and 15% viura grapes from a long, quality harvest in October 2021. It has a vibrant, mouthwatering woosh of citrus, with notes of pomegranate, cherry, red apple skin, tangerine and blossom.

Jane is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers. Find her on social media and online as One Foot in the Grapes.