Berrilicious Bordeaux Rosé

As the springtime sunshine continues to stick around, we continue to think and drink pink. Scrolling through Instagram, you’d be forgiven for thinking that there was some unwritten law somewhere that tells us that sunny days are rosé days. And if you take a look at my Instagram feed, you’ll see that I am most definitely a law-abiding citizen.

Like the rest of the world, I love Provence rosé. I love the dryness, the lightweight texture, the white peaches and the watermelon. But I’m making an effort to look beyond the South of France to see what the rest of the world is offering and I've decided to head west - about 750km from Provence - to Bordeaux.

De Luze Rosé 2019

I don’t think I have ever tasted a Bordeaux rosé and I’m excited because I have two to try. One is 100% Merlot and one is 70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Just by looking at them, can you guess which is which? The darker rosé, a pretty rose-pink, from Sainsbury’s (Taste The Difference, £6.50) is actually the 100% Merlot - did you guess right? Even though Cabernet Sauvignon is a thicker skinned grape, the depth of colour is, more often than not, it’s down to how long the skins are left in during fermentation.

The De Luze Rosé (ND John Wine Merchants, £8), though made with Bordeaux grapes, is made very much in the fashionable Provence style - it is so pale it is almost water-white. Alongside its red fruits (strawberries, raspberries), I also taste the melon and peach, like I would with a Provence, where the grapes are most likely to be Grenache, Mourvèdre or Cinsault. Has the pale colour tricked my brain? I’m not complaining though - it’s a really lovely sip, with fantastic acidity; beautifully dry and refreshing.

Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Bordeaux Rosé 2018

The darker rosé tastes much more like redcurrants and cranberries rather than strawberries and raspberries, with a little bit of Merlot spice. It’s still dry, but it’s more of a juicy trove of sun-kissed fruits. This kind of wine would be perfect with light dishes that have a little sweetness to them: a prawn cocktail with lashings of Marie Rose sauce; a Ploughman’s sandwich with tangy pickle or sweet chilli chicken with rice and grated carrots.

That’s settled it then. Bordeaux, you are now in my rosé squad. If you have any rosé recos, let me know in the comments - I’m game to try them all!