With temperatures set to hit 30°C this bank holiday weekend, Britain is officially entering rosé mode.
Supermarkets are already preparing for a pink wine frenzy, with M&S predicting sales will surge by 25% over the next few days alone – equivalent to selling one bottle every two seconds.
Frankly, after the longest winter known to mankind, we’re ready to start sipping.
So, whether you’re after the official rosé of the Chelsea Flower Show, a chic Provence pink or a bargain supermarket bottle to throw in the picnic basket, these are the bottles worth chilling right now.
Babylonstoren Mourvedre South African Rosé, £18.50, 75cl
If you didn’t manage to nab tickets to Chelsea Flower show this week, fear not, because you can still get your hands on the official rosé. Each year, Babylonstoren release their latest vintage to coincide with the show, and we were the first to try it.
Don’t be put off by the fact it’s not Provence-pale – it’s every bit as crisp, dry and elegant as its South of France counterparts, just with a little more welly. Made for long lunches and lazy afternoons in the garden, expect notes of watermelon, juicy sun-ripened strawberries and a hint of rhubarb.
Pommery Champagne also launched a Chelsea Flower Show special, with a special spring gift box in collaboration with the RHS. It’s quite the looker.
M&S Trouble Cloudy Rosé, £13, 75cl
This bottle is gaining a bit of a cult following in our office right now. Made by well-respected winemaker Gérard Bertrand in the Languedoc region, it’s made with organic, hand-harvested grapes.
So why does it look like cloudy lemonade? It’s unfiltered, giving it a slightly yeasty flavour that feels more like a funky pét-nat or kombucha than a classic Provence rosé.
Light, tart and seriously gluggable, it may not be one for Provence purists – but it is the kind of rosé you’ll wish you’d bought two bottles of.
Waitrose Loved & Found Vinhao Verde Rosé, £9.50
Waitrose held its spring wine showcase this week and, naturally, we worked the room, sampling all 181 bottles so you don’t have to. Of all the rosés we tried, this Vinho Verde was our top buy. Green wine turns pink! Super-crisp with mouth-watering acidity, it has the signature Vinho Verde spritz alongside juicy red berries and a streak of minerality. And with a naturally lower ABV of 10.5%, it’s also an excellent daytime rosé.
Honestly, it’s a steal for under a tenner.
Ideally served alongside Seafood & Eat It Fifty Fifty Crab tossed through garlicky linguine. A girl can dream.
Limited Edition Nyetimber English Summer Rosé, £46, 75cl
This one is a bit more of a splurge, but too special not to mention. Nyetimber’s limited-edition English Summer release is essentially garden party season in sparkling form, right down to the illustrated bottle.
Inside, it’s every bit as elegant as you’d expect from one of England’s leading sparkling wine producers, with notes of wild strawberries, raspberries and redcurrants, softened by a creamy finish. Fresh, vibrant and unapologetically celebratory, this is the bottle we’d be chilling for special occasions.
Queen Côtes de Provence Rosé, £18.50 for 75cl
A rosé from British rock band Queen – yes, really. It only launched earlier this month, yet it has already picked up a major wine trophy, scoring an impressive 95 points at the International Wine Challenge – the only still rosé to do so this year.
A classic Provence blush, expect notes of wild strawberry, raspberry and citrus, alongside an ultra-refreshing finish. We guarantee it’ll rock you.
Coeur De Cardeline Rosé, £9.25 (currently £7.75)
Of course, what we’re all really after is a cracking bottle for under a tenner. Well, we’ve found it at Co-op. Normally £9.95, it’s currently reduced to £7.75 until 2 June – giving you plenty of time to stock up for summer.
With notes of peach, summer berries and blossom, we think the latest vintage is exceptional value for money. Crisp, easy-drinking and sunshine-ready, this is the kind of rosé that disappears very quickly once opened.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
