Everything’s coming up rosés for summer sipping.

Easy-drinking rosé is the perfect summer tipple. presents Toni Paterson a bouquet of the best.

Rosé has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past few years. Consumer demand is high and winemakers are treating the style with new respect. This means that complexity and texture are present in the best wines and drier styles are the trend.

Vibrant pink was once the colour of choice, but today you will find as much diversity as seen in an English rose garden. Colour is a deceptive element in rosé so don’t let it cloud your judgement.

From the Yarra Valley the 2016 Vinoque Nebbiolo Rosé, $25, is a fine example of how winemakers are using a different approach to make balanced wines. It is made from a single block of nebbiolo, a variety famous for the complex and structured reds of northern Italy. As a rosé, however, the natural tannins provide a pleasant dryness to the finish.

The 2016 De Bortoli Villages Grenache Rosé, $22, is similarly satisfying. Grenache grapes from Heathcote in Victoria are pressed and fermented in old oak casks, resulting in a complex wine with gentle, restrained fruitiness. It is an immensely drinkable style.

Jacob’s Creek has released a new rosé called Le Petit Rosé, $17. Made from pinot noir, grenache and mataro, it is perfect for summer sipping.

Shingleback’s 2016 Haycutters Salmon Rosé, $18, took out the rosé trophy at the 2016 Sydney Royal Wine Show. It’s clean and fresh with good energy and precision.

In terms of bubbly, a favourite of mine is the Dominique Portet Brut Rosé, $30. The colour is gorgeous, with gentle strawberry aromas and there is much more complexity than the price implies.

Well-chilled rosé is an excellent aperitif, though the best wines – ones with good depth of flavour – work extremely well with food. As the weather warms, try pairing your favourite drop with a platter of delicate cured and smoked meats; oysters with a mignonette dressing; salmon ceviche; or salade niçoise.