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The sub-£10 high street rosés to buy now – including the best-value French pink around
Provence rosé can be very expensive, but there are plenty of better-value lookalikes to try instead
The rise of Provence rosé in the past few years has seen a lot of Provencal pretenders – other wine regions putting out very pale, bone-dry pinks in a similar style.
Provence rosé can be very expensive, of course, so are these look- (and taste-) alikes better value? And what about fruitier, juicier styles of rosé that can be especially good with food? I tasted 30 of the current batch of under-£10 pinks on the high street this week to find out.
It’s a mixed bunch out there – it was disappointing to find so many cheaper rosés tasted too tart. Often these are the pallid, Provence-style wines. It seems we’ve gone from a time when there were too many sweet rosés on the shelves to one when too many are sour. However, I still came up with five better balanced best buys, below.
Overall the fresh 2022 vintages showed up the 2021s as being a little tired, so try to get the youngest rosé you can find. I found one Provence rosé from 2021 that came in at under £10 and still tasted appealing (scroll down to find it), but otherwise the best wines at low prices currently include a Spaniard, a South African and one from Argentina, all in a more brightly fruity style.
Chill them to about 8-10C – no lower, or you’ll mute the delicate aromas and flavours. And buy it close to when you want to drink it, as rosé doesn’t keep well for long.
There are plenty of food-matching tips below, but at these prices the recommendations here make good party wines too – and there are plenty of those planned for Eurovision and the next Bank Holiday weekend.
Try these
Specially Selected Chassaux et Fils Coteaux de Béziers Rosé 2022, France
12.5%, Aldi, £6.99
This was my favourite inexpensive rosé last year and the new 2022 vintage hits the spot again. From the south of France but west of Montpellier, it’s made from grenache and viognier in a fairly fruity, if dry, style, with cranberry and strawberry tones and a succulent finish. The best value French pink around.
Irresistible Solo Rosé 2022 Campo de Borja, Spain
13.5%, Co-op, £7.95
Some bright fruit here in the form of tangy red cherries and a soft layer of strawberry mousse too. One hundred per cent garnacha, it’s another example of good-value wine from the Campo de Borja region near Zaragoza in north-east Spain. A decent, crowd-pleasing party pink.
Finest Western Cape Cinsault Rosé 2022, South Africa
11.5%, Tesco, £7.50
Despite the relatively low alcohol content (which is welcome, since some rosés are rather too strong), this has a decent, ripe texture and a fresh seam of raspberry. An all-rounder, as it works fine on its own or with savoury food – try it with salmon fishcakes or couscous and roast tomatoes.
Alamos Malbec Rosé 2022, Mendoza, Argentina
13.5%, Majestic, £9.99 or £7.99 as part of a mixed six
This gets my vote as a food matcher with grilled prawns, spicy fish dishes and peppery charcuterie. It’s got enough juicy ripe plum and raspberry to take them all on, but it’s balanced, not sweet. Made from malbec grown at 5,000ft altitude in the Andean foothills, which accounts for the fresh streak despite rich fruit.
The Best Cotes de Provence 2021, France
13%, Morrisons, £9.50, down to £8.50 from 17 May until 11 June in England and Wales and until 13 June in Scotland
A classic Provencal rosé in a traditional skittle-shaped bottle. It wins over many examples for its relatively low price (especially if you can wait for the offer next week) and because the 2021 has maintained its freshness nicely. Expect wisps of red berries, a hint of astringent lemon peel and a very dry finish. An elegant aperitif or match with simple seafood and white fish.