5 light dry rosé wines for summer

Light, bright and refreshing, yet still full of flavour and texture, rosé is the perfect drink for hot weather—but not all rosé. Here are 5 rosé wines perfect for summer.

It’s fascinating how rosé wine has made a comeback in recent years. In fact, it’s never been so popular.

Between 2002 and 2019, there was a rise of almost 25% in global consumption of rosé.

But rosé owes much of its change in fortune to the South of France.

That dry, crisp, pale pink Provençal style has not only been adopted by wine drinkers internationally, but by the wine-makers themselves.

Vintners all over the world are styling their rosé to be more in line with the lean yet flavoursome wines coming from this now well-known style. And it’s a far cry from the overly sweet bright pink and near-red monsters of the past.

And it’s the flavour of summer, which makes sense.

The brilliant crisp zing and nuanced flavour of a chilled Provençal rosé is the best thing you’ll drink as the sun radiates heat off the rolling hills around Lorgues or the glittering harbour waters of Saint-Tropez.

The question is: which summer rosé to buy?

Chateau la Gordonne Vérité du Terroir 2020 Bio Rosé

Intense berry, pink grapefruit and redcurrant notes alongside a crisp, dry finish and the palest pink colour, Chateau la Gordonne’s Vérité du Terroir Bio Rosé is the epitome of its brand.

Hailing from the homeland of Provençal rosé, this beautiful example of Côtes de Provence wine is made with a blend of organically grown Grenache Noir, Cinsault, Syrah grapes, from a winery whose history stretches back to 1652.

Find Chateau la Gordonne Vérité du Terroir 2020 Bio Rosé in most premium independent bottle shops. $32.00 RRP

Domaine du Gros’Noré Bandol Dry Rosé

Surprisingly well-structured and full of texture for its light colour and beautiful clarity, this rosé still delivers the crisp dry freshness the Provençal style is known for. Domaine du Gros’Noré rosé is the favourite wine of our dear friends Deb and Omri, who introduced us to it.

A blend of Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Grenache grapes from the renowned Bandol sub-region of Provence and the skilled hand of Alain Pascal bring you scintillating flavours and aromas of orange, summer fruits and spice along with an elegant finish.

Find Domaine du Gros’Noré Bandol Dry Rosé in Dan Murphy’s. $56.99 RRP

Mitchelton Estate Rosé

This estate-grown single-vineyard rosé from Nagambie in Victoria shows just how far Australian rosé has come.

Firmly acidic and touch-paper dry, this rosé is loaded with orange citrus, strawberry and sour cherry notes as well as a delicate earthy herbal tone that pushes the acidity along.

We’ve tried some of Mitchelton Estate’s other wines in the past—the Preece Collection—which is a lovely group of wines (the Grenache is sensational) but this rosé is definitely a cut above. More refined, excellent structure and surprising length all create a great wine that will, in true Provençal style, match with almost any food.

You can find the Mitchelton Estate Single Vineyard Rosé in Mitchelton’s online shop and their beautiful cellar door. $28.00 PPR

Cupitt’s Estate Rosie’s Rosé

This family-run winery in Ulladulla on the NSW South Coast punches well above its weight producing some superb wines.

Cupitt’s Rosie’s Rosé is made in Ulladulla but the Pinot Noir grapes that it starts out as come from either Tumbarumba, NSW or Lake Nagambie, VIC. The result is very similar though, with lifted fruit notes and a freshness that moves to a pleasingly dry finish.

Find Cupitt’s Estate Rosie’s Rosé and Ruby’s Rosé from the winery $32.00 RRP

Gartelmann Wines’ Veronica Rosé

Ordinarily you wouldn’t think Shiraz grapes would make a Proven?al style rosé, but instead something fatter, sweeter and juicier. But maybe because the Hunter Valley’s Shiraz tend to be lighter and less sweet, this 100% Shiraz rosé balances better.

There is still a sweetness here and a creamy body, but a firm, acidic backbone to the wine holds everything in place and allows the dryness of the style to pull through.

Available from Gartelmann’s cellar door in Lovedale, Hunter Valley or fine wine shops. $23.00 RRP