13/06/2007

AllFoodScotland's resident sommelier, Colin Bell, shares his favourite rosé wines...

Wimbledon, weddings, barbecues and long lazy days in deckchairs – June is also the time to search out that perfect pink summer glugger.

Once upon a time, it was thought only women (and the apathetic) drank rosé wine, but this is no longer the case. In summer, rosé sales can often out strip those of other wines. Rosé is also no longer the preserve of the French and the Iberian Peninsula. It is made all over the world and in many styles, using numerous grape varieties.

I recommend:

Gran Fuedo Rosado, Julien Chivite , Navarra, Spain, 2004, £5.49
Comprising 100 per cent grenache grapes, this wine evokes spiced redcurrants, dew-laden summer flowers, violets and cassava melon flavours. These fruit textures cleave their way through the natural acidity of the wine ensuring that the integrity of the fruit remains true. Pair with chicken fajitas, jambalaya or roast halibut with buttered leeks.

Scotchmans Hill, Swan Bay, Pinot Noir Rosé, Australia, 2005, £7.99
This wine is as pink as a flamingo and has a tremendous fresh fruit flavour – strawberries dusted with black pepper, a hint of thyme and a whiff of vanilla. Serve with grilled langoustines or lamb tagine.

Matahiwi Rose, Matahiwi Estate, Waiararpa, New Zealand, 2005, £7.99
Curvaceous and indecently floral, the fruit of this wine bounces around the mouth using your tongue as a trampoline. The blend is juicy pinot noir and plump merlot that oozes black cherries and redcurrant with a hint of coconut. Partner with smoked trout, seafood spaghetti or stuffed chillis.

Casillero del Diablo, Maule Valley, Chile, 2005, £5.99
Fruit, fruit, fruit. A wine for those who prefer their rosé to be on the slightly heavier side. This is a spicy monster that offers buckets of peppery blackberry and tangy cranberry fruit. Match with barbecued monkfish, pork belly or tandoori meats.

Obikwa, Western Cape, South Africa, 2006, £4.49
This wine takes its name from one of South Africa’s earliest tribes, and marries pinot noir with cinsault. It's flexible and strong enough to adapt to red and white meat dishes. Drink with seared chicken in a sundried tomato and basil sauce or spicy barbecued ribs.

Champagne Nichols Feuillatte. Epernay, France, N.V £22.99
If you're looking for the perfect pink champagne and don't want to spend more than £25 then this is the answer. As fresh as a warm summer breeze and filled with an intoxicating perfume, drink this with seared scallops or crab.

Cotes de Provence, Chateau Cavalier, Provence, France, 2006, £6.99
This is a knickerbocker glory of a wine, with a vivid colour and perfume that conjures up strawberry ice cream, melon and vanilla-infused peaches due to the dominance of cinsault and grenache grapes in the blend. This is a medium-bodied wine with tantalising acidity and bright confected fruit flavours. Match with chicken or stir-fried prawns in sesame oil.

To read Colin's advice on beer and food matching, click here

If you have a query on which drinks to pair with which foods, email us at info@allfoodscotland.com