Few rosés make it onto lists of the world’s best wines, but they do have their followers and deserve greater credit than they often garner. Rosé is an easy-drinking, fresh wine, and, as such, finds it a little difficult to join the ranks of a great wine style. The stylish packaging and bottles and the wines’ very pale salmon colour also play a big role in the success of the better-known rosé wines, such as Garrus from Chateau d’Esclans, Clos du Temple, and Whispering Angel.

In some countries, particularly the United States, rosé wines serve as an introduction to the world of wines for many. From the mid-1970s into the 1980s and 1990s in particular, rosé wines, especially varieties like White Zinfandel (a rosé made from the red Zinfandel grape), were often Americans’ first foray into wine.

Their approachable sweetness, light body, and affordability made them perfect for casual sipping. California’s Sutter Home winery unquestionably spearheaded the White Zinfandel craze of the era, becoming a household name with its bottles typically costing just $3 or $4, alongside other brands like Beringer and Franzia. (Indeed, the White Zinfandel varietal was the number one selling wine in the United States for 11 years running!)

These “cheap and cheerful” wines introduced a whole generation to wine culture in a relaxed, inexpensive, unpretentious way. As an unexpected side benefit, the runaway sales of ‘White Zin’ compelled growers to save countless acres of their older Zinfandel grape vines from being ripped out, and these days, those well-matured vines are turning out some genuinely superb Zinfandel wines.

Outside of the US, many consumers were introduced to the wide world of wines by squat bottles of Portuguese rosé. By the 1980s, both the red and sparkling white versions of Mateus rosé accounted for some 40% of all Portuguese wine sales. Over 3.25 million cases of Mateus per annum were sold then, and its competitor, Lancers, was producing similar quantities. Palates have changed, and these two styles have declined in global sales.

But although the mass-produced rosé wines of that era were regarded as unserious, budget wines (often on the sweet side), appealing to newbies and also to drinkers who perhaps couldn’t decide between red and white alternatives, the rosé category has grown considerably in stature as discerning drinkers discover many appealing global styles.

I recently introduced myself at a wine tasting as a ‘365 rosé girl’. Sipping the pink drink poolside or at a beach club with friends in warmer climates is what we dream of on these grey winter days.

But our darling rosé isn’t just a summer fling – it’s an effortless crowd-pleaser that will delight palates over the festive season just as it does in the sun.

As the wine expert of the family, I’ve been steadily introducing new traditions in the vino department over the last few years. 

The most controversial – now fully embraced by our multi-generational table of drinkers – is a magnum of rosé served with our beetroot and gin-cured salmon starter, perfected by my dad, on Christmas Day. 

It’s the perfect middle ground for those who don’t enjoy an oaky white, squirm at an aromatic Sauvignon Blanc, brace themselves for the acidity of other crisp styles, or generally ‘just drink red’.

The British choice is typically a Provence-style pale pink: elegant, fresh, with just the right level of juiciness…

The best food and rosé pairings to try this Christmas

Salmon: Rosé wines cut through the rich, smoky, and oily textures of smoked salmon, while their silky texture and delicate flavours create a harmonious pairing with cured salmon.

Cured meats: Prosciutto, Jamón Ibérico, salami, and similar cured meats are flavourful, salty, and fatty, making them a perfect match for the crispness of rosé, which provides a vibrant lift.

Pomegranate salad: This pairing plays on the red fruit notes found in both rosé and pomegranate, creating a light, lively, and festive match.

Lobster, prawn and crab: The succulent, subtly sweet, and salty-mineral flavours of shellfish are complemented by rosé wines, which echo and enhance these delicate attributes.

Glazed ham: Rosé is a delightful match for the meaty, honeyed flavours of glazed ham, offering a bright, crisp counterpoint to this rich and satisfying Christmas favourite.

The best rosé wines to drink this Christmas

2022 Garrus Rose, Chateau d’Esclans, Cotes de Provence

A splurge-worthy gourmet rosé from the Whispering Angel family – unusually it is oaked, offering a structured, spiced sip with depth.

Pale salmon, this is opulent and ripe with plum, peach and apple mingling with oak spice and red fruits. Very creamy textured with herbal spicy notes, vanilla and summer berries. Long and fresh.

Wine lovers are the easiest people on your list to shop for: You never have to worry about whether your gift is going to fit or not! We’ve scoured top sources for the best ideas for the oenophiles on your list, and if you see something here that you want for yourself, it’s never too early to start dropping hints. From unique boxed sets to the latest accessories and glasses, we have you covered in your search for the perfect toast-worthy holiday gift.

Chateau d’Esclans 2021 Garrus Rosé Cotes de Provence Provence France

Sacha Lichine acquired Chateau d’Esclans in Provence in 2006. The estate is situated just north of St. Tropez and many people may know the chateau as the home of Whispering Angel rosé wine. While Whispering Angel is a perfectly fine entry offering, Sacha’s Garrus Rosé makes the former pale in comparison. If it weren’t for the pink color, Garrus 2021 could fool you into thinking you’re drinking a fine white Burgundy. It has aromas of white peach, apricot puree, and caramelized pineapple and flavors of pear, apple, candied orange peel, and luscious crème brulée with a bright acid finish. 

Hrastnik1860 has produced 100% carbon neutral glass bottles for French wine producer Château d’Esclans using hydrogen combustion.

The carbon neutral bottles contain Chateau d’Esclans’ 2023 Vintage Garrus wine.

With over 60% hydrogen fuel content used for glass melting, the direct carbon footprint of the melting process is reduced by more than 30% compared to standard procedures.

Hrastnik first revealed it had successfully produced premium glass bottles using hydrogen as a prime energy source last year.

Very few rosé wines dare to place themselves in the Pantheon of the world’s legendary wines. Among them, the Garrus from the renowned Chateau d’Esclans, produced by Sacha Lichine, stands out as a unique case.

When the Russian-born son of Alexis Lichine abandoned the Bordeaux “certainty” of the family wine business—selling the Cru Classe Chateau Prieure Lichine, no less—to bet everything on a decaying estate in Provence in 2005, any business consultant would have advised against it. At that time, Chateau d’Esclans consisted of a dilapidated winery and a 65-hectare vineyard, most of whose grapes were sold cheaply to neighboring wineries.

However, the visionary winemaker saw something others had missed: the nearly century-old vines at the highest point of the estate, known as Garrus in Latin. Don’t be surprised by this, as Chateau d’Esclans is a property with a history that dates back centuries, with its tower—only the cellar of which remains today—dating back to the 12th century.

In just a few years, Sacha Lichine and his winemaker, Patrick Leon, formerly of the prestigious Chateau Mouton Rothschild, managed to “resurrect” the estate in the village of Var, change the history of rosé with Whispering Angel, make Provence the ultimate place for this wine style, and create the first mythical rosé label. With some exaggeration, one might say that while in the rest of the world, what isn’t good enough for red wine becomes rosé, in Provence, what isn’t good enough for rosé becomes red! Of course, in this case, such a statement wouldn’t apply, as Esclans only produces rosé, but it highlights the significance of rosé in this cosmopolitan area of France.

In the case of Garrus, however, things go several steps further. It’s not just the blessed terroir of the small 4-hectare plot where it originates or the old vines that yield minuscule harvests, comparable to the greatest reds, that make the difference. It’s also the high proportion (20-25%) of the local white Rolle grape alongside the unique Grenache Rouge, the triple selection process the raw material undergoes, and the exclusive fermentation in 600-liter barrels, where the wine remains for almost a year.

For the winemakers, temperature is crucial in producing a top rosé, so they have ensured its regulation while the wine is in the barrel. We might not fully understand the impact on quality, but we can certainly grasp the financial impact, as the installation, according to the producer, cost 1 million euros. Fortunately, the winery has other opportunities to recoup its investment, as the 100% new barrels in which Garrus ages number only ten.

Wine lovers around the world have few chances to bring Garrus to their glasses, but the lucky few who manage to do so will forget everything they know about rosé wines. Garrus’ show starts with a bright color reminiscent of onion skin and an exceptionally complex and intensely concentrated aroma that evokes memories of potpourri, honeysuckle, peach, incense, and angelica flowers. Even more shocking, however, is the experience on the palate, where each sip feels like a serving of meat.

It’s not just the body and strength of Garrus that make it so special but also its creamy roundness, akin to that of heavy cream. The cherry on top is that all of this comes with incredible elegance, sophisticated minerality, and a tremendous finish. This profile makes Garrus less suitable as a poolside rosé or for St. Tropez decks—though it often ends up there—but rather a fine wine choice for any serious table or high-end wine event.

Hardly anyone associates rosé wine with aging, but this exceptional creation has proven it has all the qualities to age for at least 3-5 years. It might not often appear at auctions, but with a price of over 150 euros, Garrus makes many great white or red wines envious.

The top cuvée of Chateau d’Esclans laid the foundation for the ultra-premium category in Cote de Provence, a category that now includes other members with similar or even higher prices. But Garrus remains the ultimate benchmark wine, setting the standard for any rosé aspiring to be called great.

The price of a bottle in Greece ranges between 160-170 euros.

Whispering Angel Rosé

While it’s true that a mom’s work is never done, what better time for her to sit back and relax with some vino than Mother’s Day? Toast your wife with a glass of Whispering Angel’s crisp rosé, then let her leisurely enjoy another while you put the kids to bed. Cheers to her (and motherhood)!