Rosé wine

Stéphane Bourret and his team have improved La Bastide wines’ quality beyond recognition. Despite the pressure of the many tourists ready to buy almost anything at any price, he has chosen a path of quality and hard work. All of the 28 hectares estate is now run using biodynamic methods and the results are a joy to behold, with many of their wines awarded great accolades in the national and international wine press. ‘Estagnol’ is produced from their best vineyards and improves after 3 or 4 years cellaring.

Revealing fresh fruit flavours of wild strawberry, this rosé has gentle acidity showing a smooth elegance and intensity with a plump finish.

Chateau de L’Escarelle of one of the most prestigious wine estates in the heart of Provence, with 100 hectares of organically certified vineyards set in 1,000 hectares of beautiful woodland.

In the past year this property has made impressive steps to establish itself as a major player of sustainable agriculture in France. In 2016 the estate achieved Haute Valeur Environnementale certification (France’s most stringent environmental certification scheme, level 3), demonstrating their deep-rooted commitment to protecting the natural world. Their vines are planted at up to 500 metres above sea level, hugging the slopes of the Montagne de La Loube and adapting to the estates' clay and limestone soil profile. The terroir’s distinctive character is perfect for creating highly-expressive, elegant Rosé wines.

Chateau de L'Escarelle

Classic Provence rosé, expressive and aromatic, blending fresh cherries and floral notes alongside more exotic fruits then finishing with a soft round palate packed with peach and raspberry.

This dry rose, petal pink in colour, has aromas of red fruits and strawberry sweets with a lively palate to match.

Domaine de la Bastide

From Chris- "Pinotage has a reputation of being something of a “Marmite” variety and, in truth, I still blow pretty hot and cold with it. It’s very much a South African speciality - a cross between Cinsaut and Pinot Noir that’s been around for 80 or so years. At its best it’s all about lush, brambly fruit – loganberries and blackberries, at the other end of the scale it reeks of acetone and burnt rubber. I remember a tasting with Andre Van Rensberg, then winemaker with Vergelegen, who responded to a question with the retort “I’ve never killed anyone, never stolen from anyone and never planted Pinotage.” Any road up, I think this is rather good. Delheim were the first to produce a rose Pinotage in 1976 so they’ve had plenty of time to finetune their act. This is elegant and clean-as-a-whistle with more than a hint of strawberry fruit. Proper summertime rose."

Beautiful pale salmon colour with an appealing herbal nose followed by flavours of warm southern herbs, white pepper spice and soft raspberries. Complex, interesting and very much a food wine.

Domaine Lafran-Veyrolles

Dominique Romy and his son Nicolas cultivate their vines naturally according to the Terra Vitis requirements, so as to preserve the biological balance of the soil. Vines are grown in an old fashioned manner, with grass between rows and Green Harvest being practiced to lower yields and to increase the quality of the grapes.

100% Gamay rose made by direct pressing and short maceration. Pale, elegant and aromatic wine with strawberry notes leaping out of the glass.

The grapes for False Bay Whole Bunch Cinsault Mourvedre stem from bush-vine Cinsault (mostly old vines) in Stellenbosch and The Swartland, along with a small proportion of Mourvedre from Stellenbosch which adds a savoury depth to the wine. Although The Swartland is not as coastal as most of the vineyards used for the False Bay wines, it is an area where, quite frankly, grapes from old vines are available at the required prices. Thankfully, the area's old vines produce naturally low yields and retain good acidity despite being warmer and less windswept than Stellenbosch, so cooler, coastal Atlantic winds are less of a necessity for these gnarly old vines. Made by Waterkloof's talented young Cellarmaster Nadia Barnard. Balanced grapes are hand harvested, whole-bunch pressed and fermented spontaneously with wild yeast in stainless steel and wooden foudre. The wine is left on lees for a minimum of three months before bottling. No additions other than sulphur as a preservative. Grown, made and bottled in South Africa.

Old bush vine Cinsault forms the backbone of this ‘proper’ rosé. A pale, spicy and textural Rosé mostly sourced from bush-vine Cinsault with summer fruits on the palate and a lovely clean, savoury, dry finish.

False Bay Vineyards

A blend of grenache and Pinot Noir, the wine is silky, fruity, with a surprisingly long lingering finish. This wine is equally welcomed at the dinner table, the pícnic table or wherever good friends congregate. It is the natural accompaniment to Mediterranean cuisine.

Lively and refreshing on the palate, with notes of red cherries, strawberry and raspberry, with good acidity and a long finish.

Fiona and Niall Shiner had been living in Hong Kong for 18 years when they returned to Britain to take on Niall's parents' property at Amberley. Niall continued with his career, but mother-of-three Fiona decided to plant some vines at the property following a comment by her mother-in-law that the Romans could have grown vines there. The first acre was planted in 2007, with the acquisition of an old cattle farm on the (really quite steep) hill opposite and converting an old barn into a winery in 2016. A third vineyard side since been acquired taking the current area under vine (but not all producing grapes yet) to 58 acres (23ish hectares), still firmly in the ‘tiny’ bracket.

This perfect warm weather rosé has an initial aroma of raspberries and fresh cut roses with a hint of lemon zest. Its pale salmon colour complements the subtle strawberry notes. While it is reminiscent of a Provence-style rosé on the nose; on the palate, there is so much more to offer. There are copious amounts of lush strawberries and fresh picked raspberries to accompany those beautiful floral aromas. This rosé also offers us a well-balanced and refreshing acidity, that leaves you wanting more.

Fresh, dry and crammed with summer fruits flavours.

A very fruity and refreshing easy to drink rosé, with a bouquet full of ripe red fruits. A particularly well-balanced and structured wine with the aromatic themes continuing on the palate.

Famille Bourgeois Sancerre