DRINK●Will Lyons
What jubilee hangover?
Six delicious rosés for summer
I
probably don’t need to remind you that supermarket
shelves are teeming with bottles of rosé. If you
include sparkling wines, the Co-op runs to more
than 50 examples; over at Tesco it’s closer to 60,
from as far afield as New Zealand, California and
Chile. It’s a similar story all along the high street
— and that’s a lot of choice when you’ve just popped
in for a bottle to help wash down Saturday’s
barbecue. So how do you decide which to buy?
You could go down the celebrity route,
with offerings from Brad Pitt (2021 Miraval Côtes
de Provence; Sainsbury’s, £16 — very good), Kylie
Minogue (Kylie; Tesco, £9 — a bit of fun) and Jon Bon
Jovi (Hampton Water; Majestic, £16.99 — a work in
progress). Or you could follow the money and choose
a rightly revered name such as Domaines Ott (Waitrose
Cellar, £36.99), Whispering Angel (Sainsbury’s, £20)
or Château Léoube (Ocado, £16).These all have their place, but here’s the thing: having
tasted dozens of samples stocked by the main outlets,
I’ve found you don’t need to splash out to find a rosé
that combines juicy summer fruits with refreshing citrus
acidity. Too often rosé is consumed without much
thought, straight from the coolbox or even with an ice
cube or two. In these circumstances you don’t want to
be spending much more than £10 and you don’t need
to stick to Provence either. Something like the 2021
Nero Oro Rosé from Sicily (Majestic, £9.99), which
brims with peach and tropical fruit, or the salmon-pink
2020 Nuit d’Arbres from Carcassonne (Tanners, £9.50).
This finishes with a saline, savoury character and makes
a stylish change from the usual touch of fruitiness. These
provide a welcome summer alternative to red or white,
at a price point that allows for a guilt-free second glass n
Wine Times with Will Lyons has won podcast of the year at
the British Media Awards- NV Pierre Jaurant Sud de France Rosé France
(12.5%) Aldi, £5.79 If you can swallow the slightly naff
label, this pale, dry rosé ticks a lot of boxes for the
price. Clean and well structured, with hints of cherry. - 2021 Casanova Costa d’Oru Rosé France (12%)
Co-op, £7.50 An interesting drop from Corsica, this
combines sciacarello and nielluccio grapes to deliver
tropical fruit and a slightly spicy, herbaceous tang. - 2021 Morrisons The Best Touraine Rosé France
(12.5%) Morrisons, £7.75 A super-fresh, crisp Loire
rosé made predominantly from gamay with plenty
of zippy acidity and vitality. Excellent with seafood.
4. 2021 Skouras Cuvée Prestige Rosé Greece (13%)
Majestic, £11.99 Launching this month, this smooth
salmon-pink rosé from the Peloponnese sings with
notes of red fruit and has a lively, flickering finish.
5. 2021 Maison Mirabeau Pure Côtes de Provence
France (12.5%) Waitrose, £11.49 (down from £15.49)
I’m highly impressed with this silky, delicately dry
rosé. Smooth on the palate, with hints of grapefruit.
6. 2020 Domaine Ray-Jane Bandol Rosé France
(13.5%) Raeburn Fine Wines, £22.99 If you do splash
out, this is a profound, beautifully textured, creamy
example from one of the top regions for pink wine.
123 456
Bargain
of the
week
JASON ALDEN
Nyetimber
Classic Cuvée
England (12%)
Sainsbury’s,
£28 (reduced
from £37 until
Tuesday)
Ever since Stuart
and Sandy Moss
began producing
champagne-style
wines in West
Sussex during
the 1980s,
Nyetimber has
led the way. The
Classic Cuvée
has brioche-
infused aromas,
citrus acidity
and fresh apple
flavour. Toast the
Queen with an
English classic.The Sunday Times Magazine • 47