Sancerre keeps the outlook rosé during the heatwave

Rosé sales have been rocketing in this summer’s heatwave. My preferred rosé style to drink in the heat is an elegant dry cool-climate pink with vibrant high natural acidity, which makes it such a refreshing aperitif.

My favourite is Sancerre’s dry rosé, a little known gem from the famous appellation in the upper reaches of the Loire Valley. Sancerre is, of course, universally known for its white wines, but it is not just about sauvignon blanc here.

Within Sancerre’s 2,700 hectares, which covers 14 villages on the left bank of the river, there are more than 500 hectares of pinot noir grown within the district.

This is the exclusive red grape grown here to make red and rosé, which makes about one fifth of wine in the appellation.

Virtually all Sancerre rosé is unoaked and designed for early drinking, made by the classic rosé method in temperature controlled stainless steel vats. A short maceration of juice with the dark skins just after crushing adds colour and fruit, then the juice is separated off from the skins by pressing and fermentation proceeds as if it was a white wine.

Most rosés are made from a blend of soils found in the villages around the dramatic hilltop town of Sancerre.

Between Sancerre and Verdigny village, soils are mainly ‘Caillottes’, a stony soil composed of weathered Kimmeridgian limestone which adds fruit to the blend.

In the southwest of the appellation, the ‘Terres Blanches’ chalky clay soils adds weight, whilst the flint deposits formed from silica found in the east of the appellation add minerally notes.

To make decent Sancerre rosé you need good ripe fruit – and ripening red grapes in the Loire is always a challenge at this northerly latitude.

A high standard of winemaking is also essential to make good rosé, so wines can vary considerably.

The key is to stick to the best producers.

If you normally drink Provencal dry rosé, you might well enjoy Sancerre’s pale vibrant dry pinks – but bear in mind that the Sancerre rosé will have higher levels of acidity.

In our tasting, samples varied from very light dry styles to richer fruity tangy examples mostly with red fruit notes, but most had a zippy freshness.

Remember rosé is not just for quaffing in the hammock on a hot summer’s day, the richer examples work well with summer salads, smoked salmon, prawns, charcuterie or lightly spiced Asian cuisine.

Tesco Finest Sancerre Rosé 2016 Domaine Fournier

Very pale pink, lightweight pinot noir rosé in comparison to others tasted, but vibrantly fresh and dry with delicate red fruit notes and easy to quaff. Sold by a supermarket giant, but made by a small family business from 20-year-old vines.

£11, Tesco

Sancerre Rosé 2016 Domaine Bizet

From a tiny domaine in Sury-en-vaux village who have just one single hectare of 30-year-old pinot noir vines on clay limestone soils to use for their red and rosé. Thibault Bizet makes a painstakingly good example with a pretty salmon pink colour, intense red currant aromas and mouthfilling density. £16.99, Raeburn Wines, Edinburgh

Sancerre Rosé 2016 Domaine Tabordet

Pascal Tabordet’s pretty salmon pink rosé from vineyards near the villages of Verdigny, Sury-en-vaux and Sancerre was a high scorer in our tasting for its racy, juicy, vibrancy. It has everything you might want in a refreshing tangy rosé, with hints of strawberries and tropical fruit on the nose, citric fruit flavours, an interesting herby undertone and minerally streak to the finish. A good example to try with lightly spiced barbecued prawns. £14.75-£16, Exel Wines, Perth www.exelwines.co.uk; Corking Wines, www.corkingwines.co.uk; Strictly Wine, www.strictlywine.co.uk

Sancerre Rosé 2017 Domaine des Cotes Blanches

Francois Millet has six hectares of organically farmed pinot noir for his red and rosé. He fashions a very fruity style with peachy aromas, light melony flavours with orange peel and black cherry undertones. This is a very easy going aperitif, or serve with light summery cuisine. £14.99, reduced from £16.99, Rude Wines, www.rudewines.co.uk

Sancerre Rosé 2017 Domaine Michel Girard

Girard works with more than 30 vineyard parcels and varying soils to create a unique cuvée.

An elegant, dry, rosé with juicy strawberry fruits. It also offers and some weight and power which makes it ideal as an aperitif as well as a fresh match with summer quiches.

This wine was popular with our tasters who enjoyed its richness and the minerally streak on the finish. ■ £13.99, Virgin Wines, www.virginwines.co.uk