Five European rosés for fresh summer sipping

There are many ways to make rosé, and many resulting styles. European rosé is typically produced from red wine grapes, though white grapes are sometimes used for brightness and freshness. The practice of blending red wine into white wine to make it blush is not permitted in the EU, though an exception is made for Champagne and other sparkling wines. This rule specifically regards blending wines after fermentation, however, so winemakers are allowed to mix white and red grapes before or during that fermentation.

Some rosés are made to be very delicate, using just the first-run juice from a gentle pressing with minimal skin contact. The colour can be very light, as per the sea of Provencal-style rosé on today’s wine shelves. Sometimes the flavour is very light too, if the winemaker errs on the side of delicacy. The best balance delicacy, freshness and ripeness, and capture expressive aromas, as with today’s Cotes de Provence blend of Grenache, old vine Cinsault, Syrah and Thibouren from Domaine Le Cengle. (Look too for its Mediterranée IGP 2021, €15.)

While many fine rosés are very pale, that paleness is not in itself a sign of quality, however. Some rosés are made in such a way as to extract more flavour and richness from their grapes. Today’s wine of the week underwent a maceration of 15 days, keeping the skins in contact with their juice after pressing. Just as with letting your tea draw, this longer soak draws out flavour and colour from the skins, and a little tannin to lend some structure to the wine. It comes from northern Spain, where they’re not afraid of a bit of colour, flavour and character in their rosé. Look out too for Bodega Pirineos Montesierra Rosado (€15, Jus de Vine). A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Somontano in north-eastern Spain, this is almost crimson in colour and cherry soda in aromas but drinks with a purity of fruit that tastes like more.

Today’s selection also includes two beauts from a pair of natural winemakers in Austria and Italy. This week sees Lidl re-introducing some seasonal wines to shelves, with a French wine promotion that includes a crisp and fresh Coteaux Bourguignons Rosé (€11.99). Or for a serious Burgundian treat, seek out the smoky, supple yet exquisitely pure Fleur de Pinot Marsannay 2020 (€50, wineonline.ie) from Domaine Sylvain Pataille, whose Aligoté I featured last week.​​​​​​

Wines of the week

Venus La Universal Dido La Solucio Rosa 2020, Montsant, Spain, 14pc, €28.95 From a husband-and-wife team born into two pioneering Priorat winemaking families (René Barbier Jr from Clos Mogador and Sara Perez from Mas Martinet), this blend of co-fermented Garnacha Negra, Macabeo and Tempranillo has had a long maceration before ageing in foudres (large oak barrels). The result is beautifully complex, perfumed yet savoury, with red winter fruit and wild herbs, offering gastronomic food-friendly grip with a creaminess too. ​Bradleys, The Wine Pair, Pete’s Provisions, 64 Wine

Judith Beck Pink Rosé, Burgenland, Austria, 11.5pc, €20.50 Blending biodynamic Zweigelt and Blaufrankisch, this is fresh with crushed rose petal, cherry and redcurrant aromas, yet a little plump thanks to four months lees ageing, finishing with crisp mineral purity. A food-friendly, minimal-intervention quaffer. Independents including Bradleys, L’Atitude 51, lecaveau.ie

Cosimo Maria Masini Matilde Rosado 2022, IGT Toscana, Italy, 13pc, €22.25 Tuscan Sangiovese (100pc) with distinctive red fruit notes of cherry, cranberry and wild strawberry and a sweet-savoury caramel and balsamic twist. It drinks fleshy and juicy but with crisp minerality and freshness keeping things clean. A versatile pairing for pasta, fish stews and porchetta. Wines Direct, Mullingar & Athlone; winesdirect.ie

Domaine Le Cengle Cotes de Provence Sainte-Victoire 2021, France, 13pc, €19.99 Exemplary organic Provencal rosé from limestone soils. Expect blood orange zest, dried lime and subtle apricot aromas, tangy redcurrant and rosehip on the palate and crisp minerality. Go grilled fish or salty snacks. The Bell Carry Out, Shiel’s Supermarket, The Comet, Costcutter Express (Oranmore), Egans (Portlaoise), Alain & Christine’s (Kenmare), Gala (Louisburgh), McGreevy’s (Westport)

Domaine Pujol Izard Mercredi 12H30 Minervois AOP 2023, France, 12.5pc, €15 A blend of Syrah and Cinsault grapes under conversion to organic farming, named after this winemaking family’s long, multi-generational lunch every Wednesday. Simple and fun, clean and crisp, pale with raspberry, hibiscus and rosé aromas, it drinks fruit forward with a fresh floral finish. Whelehans Wines; whelehanswines.ie