Described by Wine Folly‘s Madeline Puckette as “more of a state of mind” in oenology than a geographically fixed category, rosé — in its most basic form — is any wine that has been made with a modicum of skin contact from red wine grapes.
That is of course a huge oversimplification: one which doesn’t address the historic methods of rosé production (nor Champagne style of the same name); but for the purposes of this Buyer’s Guide, we’ve decided to limit ourselves to still rosé — often in the energetic style Aussie drinkers so love to rally around during the summer months.
That being said, you shouldn’t wait until peak #DayForIt weather to drink rosé again. Here then are 11 of the best bottles we look forward to drinking all-year-round.
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Jump To:
- The Best Rosé Wine Bottles To Drink
- Domaines Ott Chateau Romassan Bandol Rose
- Roseblood d’Estoublon 1489
- Terre Nere Etna Rosato
- Château La Coste Vin de Provence Rosé
- Caves D’Esclans ‘Whispering Angel’ Rosé
- Château Acid Rosato
- Domaine Simha ‘Sanskrit’ Rosé
- AIX Vin de Provence Rosé
- Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé
- Basket Range Rose
- Joshua Cooper Spring Cabernet Rose
- Château Minuty Prestige Rose
The Best Rosé Wine Bottles To Drink
Domaines Ott Chateau Romassan Bandol Rose
- Country: France
- Region: Provence
- Varietal(s): Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre
- Vintage: 2022
Managed by none other than Champagne Louis Roederer (of Cristal fame) Domaines Ott was established in the early part of the 20th century by Alsatian agronomist Marcel Ott.
Today, the company bearing his name produces what is widely considered to be the most emblematic rosé in The Côtes de Provence: emanating from three separate vineyards, including the 345-acre estate of Château de Selle and historic Château Romassan.
The wines sourced from this particular terroir (pictured above) are characterised by a flinty, mineralic aspect. Full of the most perfectly representative flavours of Provençal style rosé, few drops on our list have such strong lasting appeal.
Roseblood d’Estoublon 1489
- Country: France
- Region: Provence
- Varietal(s): Syrah, Grenache
- Vintage: 2023
One of two rosés available in Australia from beloved Provencal estate Château d’Estoublon, ‘1489’ is a gastronomic wine of great freshness and amplitude that fully utilises the best resources at the d’Estoublon team’s disposal.
Grapes (80% Grenache, 20% Syrah) are sourced from Provence’s only volcanic micro-climate: consisting of clay-and-limestone soils, at an elevation of 390m.
Aged in a combination of steel and new oak barrels, 1489 is particularly well-suited to food pairings. In the warmer months, we’d recommend pouring it alongside a classic beet salad or seared proteins like pork loin and duck breast.
Terre Nere Etna Rosato
- Country: Italy
- Region: Sicily
- Varietal(s): Nerollo Mascalese
- Vintage: 2022
An underrated release from the award-winning Mt Etna estate of Tenuta Delle Terre Nere, this Sicilian rosato deftly occupies a middle ground between red and white winemaking.
The wine’s peachy gold hue is several shades removed from your garden-variety New World rosé and suggests a sapid, mineralic quality that shines through in the glass and on the palate.
Fully crafted from Nerello Mascalese (sourced from two estate vineyards) there is both salinity and an electric crackle of citrus mixed with stone fruit that makes this a delight to drink alongside meals. A serious wine at a wonderfully unserious price-tag.
Château La Coste Vin de Provence Rosé
- Country: France
- Region: Provence
- Varietal(s): Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre
- Vintage: 2020
A classic rosé from the south of France; marked by the addition of trace amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Château La Coste’s aptly named ‘wine of Provence’ combines a round, medium-weight mouthfeel with lots of freshness and lifted notes of nectarine and tart strawberries.
A great drop to pair alongside morsels of a similar hue — think salmon rillettes or the oft-underserved prawn cocktail — this flagship bottling is bunch-pressed and aged in large-format stainless steel.
Like other rosé wines in the core Château La Coste range, Vin de Provence has been certified organic since 2009.
Caves D’Esclans ‘Whispering Angel’ Rosé
- Country: France
- Region: Provence
- Varietal(s): Grenache, Cinsault, Vermentino
- Vintage: 2021
An extremely versatile French rosé that is the entry point for most drinkers into the world of Château d’Esclans, ‘Whispering Angel’ is distinguished from the estate’s top-line wines through its exclusive ageing in steel and addition of the Cinsault grape variety.
It offers up an interesting sensory juxtaposition; with its lush, fully fatted palate and yet a bone dry finish (with minimal aftertaste). For that reason, this is one that’s ripe for adding to your favourite spritzer-style cocktail.
Château Acid Rosato
- Country: Australia
- Region: Adelaide Hills, SA
- Varietal(s): Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc
- Vintage: 2023
While this list of the best rose wine is dominated by French producers who are crafting expressions in the classic style, we’d be remiss if we didn’t include something local (which is also a little more punk rock) in the vein of Parley Mood.
A natty winemaker based in ‘Peramangk Country’, the Parley team makes its rose using varietals that are emblematic of the surrounding Adelaide Hills region. (Think Cabernet and Sauvy B.)
Tingly with flavours of tomato leaf, raspberry and dried strawberries, this is a sweet-and-savoury riff on rosé that comes alive when consumed slightly chilled and with food.
Domaine Simha ‘Sanskrit’ Rosé
- Country: Australia
- Region: Derwent Valley, Tasmania
- Varietal(s): Pinot Gris
- Vintage: 2018
One can’t help but chuckle a little at the breathy tone Domaine Simha has adopted in the internal marketing of its critically lauded, highly limited ‘Sanskrit’ rosé.
Made in a teeny allocation of 600 bottles, the most recent vintage is heady aromas and shapely texture; laden with flavours of damask rose petals, pink pear and bitter orange.
Dramatic as that sounds, it’s plainly obvious the Sanskrit bottling is made with a uniformly high level of attention to detail. Single origin Pinot Gris (sourced from Tasmania’s Derwent Valley) is handpicked; basket pressed; and left to mature for 6 months on lees — culminating in a rosé that ebbs gently in the direction of cold climate red wines.
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AIX Vin de Provence Rosé
- Country: France
- Region: Provence
- Varietal(s): Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan
- Vintage: 2023
A popular option many readers will have spied out and about in Australia’s cavalcade of buzzy brunch venues, the quality that most stands out to us about AIX’s ‘Vin de Provence’ is its creamy texture.
The salmon hue and crisp, driving palate (full of summer fruit and fresh berries) are both indicative of a textbook Provençal rosé. By that token, this is a great drop for the summer: whether down by the coast or from the comfort of your backyard.
Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé
- Country: France
- Region: Provence
- Varietal(s): Mourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault
- Vintage: 2023
A marquee bottle among those who are seriously into their rosé, Domaine Tempier’s Bandol offers a classical French perspective on pink winemaking that’s tempered by a range of delicious, terroir-based peculiarities.
Most importantly, this wine is always made with an assembly of fruit from vines which are at least 20 years old. In spite of the high proportion of Mourvèdre used (i.e. 50%) Bandol has a lovely, finely etched structure.
There’s never any excess tannin to come between you and enjoying the wine’s richer style: one in which the intense nose and bouquet of candied citruses is all but guaranteed to evolve over time.
Basket Range Rose
- Country: Australia
- Region: Adelaide Hills
- Varietal(s): Pinot Noir, Syrah
- Vintage: 2021
Another homegrown hero, Adelaide Hills winemaker Basket Range’s latest release of its popular rose continues the tradition of making “classic varieties with less than classic outcomes”.
Grippy and refreshing, it’s another entry on our list that will appeal to those who have an equal love for the craft of winemaking and value-led propositions.
Brothers Louis and Sholto Broderick make this out of a medley of Pinot Noir and Syrah grapes, from sites planted by their father in the 1980s.
Joshua Cooper Spring Cabernet Rose
- Country: Australia
- Region: Macedon Ranges, VIC
- Varietal(s): Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc
- Vintage: 2023
One of the best rose wines on our shortlist to be made with the saignée (‘bleeding’) method, this blend of four classic red grape varieties is the handiwork of Josh Cooper — one of Australia’s most prodigious young winemakers under the age of 40 and a native inhabitant of the Macedon Ranges.
Far from the anemic and frivolous rosé wines you’re bound to find at every bad all-day café, Cooper describes this as “a mid way point between complexity and structure and outright drinkability”.
Capable of immediate enjoyment, we’d nevertheless urge you to lay a few bottles down for ageing.
Château Minuty Prestige Rose
- Country: France
- Region: Provence
- Varietal(s): Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault
- Vintage: 2020
First unveiled to lovers of Provence style pink wines 25 years ago, Minuty’s Prestige Rosé hasn’t changed much in that time. Fortunately.
Still the same clean, crystalline-expressive summer drop that wine enthusiasts know and love; the biggest update that this crowd pleaser has seen of late is in the packaging. The sleek, sans serif label makes an instant impression — probably explaining why it’s such a popular tout come gifting season.
If you’ve enjoyed this guide to the best rose wine, consider whetting your appetite with a few more drinks-related stories — including these recommendations below:
