If it’s pink, make sure it’s posh, writes MARY DOWEY, who recommends the Petit Bourgeois Rosé de Pinot Noir, Vin de Pays du Val de Loire 2014 for all those CRAVING ROSÉ …
Summer wouldn’t be summer, as far as I’m concerned, without rosé. Even on a damp July evening in Donegal or Dingle, it conjures up the illusion of sunshine with its pretty pink hue; smells of freshly picked summer fruits and gives heaps of light dishes an extra-appetising edge besides slipping down very nicely indeed as an apéritif.
One thing you may need to watch out for is that, especially at the bargain basement end of the market, many rosés are too sweet: they don’t taste refreshing and they don’t go well with food. Spend a few euro more and you’ll enter a much posher pink universe of serious, dry wines with proper street cred.
This lively Loire rosé has been a favourite of mine for a long time and nobody could dispute its credentials. It’s made from Pinot Noir – widely regarded as the world’s sexiest red grape – by Henri Bourgeois, a producer famous for top-drawer Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. More to the point, it looks and tastes terrific, offering more colour and a bit more depth of flavour than many of the ultra-pale, watery creations that pass for fashionable pinks these days.
Alongside hints of rhubarb, strawberries, peaches and lemon there’s a leafy freshness that I find attractive. And, although I’d normally be inclined to seek out 2015 rosés at the moment, this 2014 is still in its prime – perhaps because Pinot Noir takes a little more time to develop its full potential.
Enjoy it especially with salmon, tuna, prawns, a duck salad or a platter of cold meats.
Alcohol: 12.5%
From O’Briens outlets, €15.45; buy two bottles and second will be half-price
Mary Dowey @MaryDowey
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