Rosé isn’t just a wine, it’s a state of mind

Nothing says summer like the most refreshing wine of them all, says our wine columnist

It’s telling that when Kylie Minogue first thought of having her own wine label, it wasn’t the usual dream of owning a villa with a view of a vineyard that seduced her. Instead, as she told The Sunday Times, one warm night over dinner under the stars in Nashville, she thought: ‘I’d love to have my own rosé.’

Rosé isn’t just a wine, it’s a state of mind. A glass of pale pink wine speaks of sun-warmed skin, blue skies, bright light, olive trees, al fresco café tables, a gently swishing sea and relaxation. It’s a grownup version of ‘My Favorite Things’ from The Sound of Music – and, you can drink it.

No wonder we hurtle towards a glass of it as soon as the sun comes out. You could probably write an accurate retrospective weather summary by looking at spikes in rosé sales, which usually correlate with sunshine and balmy temperatures.

Highly drinkable rosé can now be bought in cans, bags and boxes as well as traditional bottles. I find cans particularly useful for impromptu outdoor drinking. They cool quickly in the freezer and are both lightweight and compact, making them easy to slip into a bag to take to the park, riverside or out on a boat. My favourites are IGO Organic Rosé NV Spain (£4.99 per 250ml can, Waitrose & Partners), The Curator Rosé 2020 South Africa (£4.25 per 250ml can, vinoteca.co.uk), Balfour Hush Heath Estate Pink Fizz NV Kent, England (£60 for 12 x 200ml cans, hushheath.com) and The Uncommon Eleanor Bubbly Rosé (from £4.99 per 250ml can, Waitrose & Partners, jascots.co.uk, wearetheuncommon.co.uk) which is another light, sparkling English pink.

As for bottled rosés, I recently tasted the Kylie Minogue Côtes de Provence Rosé 2020 France. It’s gorgeously packaged, but I was surprised when I saw the £20 price tag – there are wines I’d prefer to drink at less than half this price.

For tighter budgets, Bonne Mine Grenache 2020 Vin de France (£6, Co-op) is smooth and easy, a rush of strawberries and cream. For a couple of pounds more (and it’s worth trading up), Coeur de Cardeline Rosé 2020 Costièresde-nîmes (£8, Co-op) is divine. A pale pink wine, it’s made in the south of France, just across the Rhône from Provence. You get more here for your money – a berry-scented wine with a hint of dried herbs. If you need your pink to come from Provence, then Château du Rouët Cuvée Réservée Tradition 2019 Côtes de Provence (£8.50 for 50cl bottle, Co-op) is very good. I realise there are a lot of wines from Co-op here, but that’s not for want of tasting around: they are the best of the wines available for tasting at the time of going to press. Château du Rouët comes in one of those curvy provençale bottles that helps give the feeling that you’re on holiday, and it’s very subtle and dry. I also like the Mirabeau range – various cuvées that are available in different supermarkets. Of these, Mirabeau Pure Provence Rosé 2020 (£15.49, Waitrose & Partners) is a star with a delicate scent that transports you straight to the craggy hills of Provence.

We hurtle towards a glass of rosé as soon as the sun comes out

Victoria Moore is an award-winning wine columnist and author. Her most recent book is the The Wine Dine Dictionary (£20, Granta).