For decades, it seemed that for quality rosé you had to look to the French. The crisp Provençal style reigned supreme, a refreshing benchmark with a lifestyle built around it.
Nowadays, our idea of what a rosé should be has loosened, stylistically. Quality options are coming from every corner of the wine world, made with all manner of grapes, in hues ranging from a pale, delicate blush to a robust fuchsia.
In keeping with the relaxed philosophy of the south of France, here is a selection of 2023 vintage rosés that are easy to enjoy, cost less than $30 and are good with or without food.
Figuière Méditerranée rosé. We’re leading with a wine from Provence because it is a benchmark for a reason. This wine is made from grapes grown organically in vineyards that are only a few hundred meters from the sea, and it provides crisp peach and salty air flavors for under $20 — a steal for the summer.
Ameztoi rubentis txakoli rosé. From the heart of the Basque region on Spain’s northern Atlantic Coast, rubentis is a classic. This is a true field blend of the red grape hondarrabi beltza and the white grape hondarrabi zuri, grown together in the same vineyard and harvested simultaneously. Lightly spritzy and bone-dry, with notes of fresh herbs and wild strawberry, this rosé is as thirst-quenching as it is interesting.
Le Fraghe chiaretto di Bardolino. The region of Bardolino is an unsung Italian center of juicy, light red wines. It also is a great area for delicious rosé made from its red corvina and rondinella grapes. Chiaretto (which translates to “pale”) is the term used to describe rosé wines produced near the shores of Lake Garda, where the regions of Veneto and Lombardy meet. Le Fraghe’s wines overdeliver for the price. The tastes of delicate, tart cherry and a pleasant minerality come through at the finish.
Pomalo frankovka rosé. Pomalo wines embody the relaxed, Mediterranean-style vibe of the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. Frankovka also is known as blaufrankisch in Austria, and it makes a medium-bodied pink wine that delivers flavors of salty watermelon, raspberry lemonade and a white pepper kick at the finish. It’s ideal for when you’re relaxing, preferably next to water.
Broc Cellars Love rosé. Broc Cellars makes small-production, experimental wines from California grapes that are as fascinating as they are delicious. The wines made under the Love label are blends intended for everyday, easy drinking. This rosé is made primarily from valdiguié, a grape originally from the south of France, but it also has a long history in California. The wine is a vibrant, deep raspberry pink, with notes of juicy, ripe red fruit and round melon.
Sign up for the AJC Food and Dining Newsletter
Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on X and @ajcdining on Instagram.
About the Author
