A break from the norm!

Just because the wine is a pretty pink colour, it doesn’t mean to say that rose wines aren’t serious wines.

The standard of rose wines being produced is very high. Not so long ago, rose wines were perceived as a “ladies fun wine” or “summer wine” but how times have changed.

This is down to consumers being more adventurous and some of the biggest and best winemakers in the world have taken an interest, using the techniques & knowledge gained from years of making red and white wines and using them to make quality rose wines.

These wines being produced are also very versatile when it comes to the dinner table, being able to pair well with a wider variety of food. This dedication, versatility and value for money are helping to transform the reputation of the rose wine.

There are plenty of fantastic rose wines being produced and you will find a great selection on the shelves of your favourite wine shop or supermarket. So be brave and swap your normal red or white for a bottle of rose.

Chateau Leoube Rosé

Domaine de Léoube is situated in a beautiful coastal location within the Cotes de Provence appellation in France, near the St. Tropez. Here, they grow the fruit used to make their wines and olive oils. The 560 hectares site has 65 hectares dedicated just for its vineyards and another 20 for an olive grove.

The conditions at Domaine de Léoube, with the proximity of the sea, the sea breeze and cool nights make it an ideal climate for growing grapes.  These grapes are used to make all Chateau Léoube wines including “Chateau Léoube – Cotes de Provence rose”.

Only once vines are aged 22 years, are they used to make this rosé wine. A mixture of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvédre grapes are harvested manually to make sure that only the highest quality grapes make it to the wine. These grapes are then transported to the winery where they are pressed directly, making sure the grapes are as fresh as possible. The juice extraction is slow and delicate to take care that the grapes aren’t bruised or discoloured and is then put in stainless steel tanks rather than wooden casts to ferment. This helps to make the resulting wine fresher and gives it its pale amber glow.

All the care taken during the production results in a refreshing bright rosé wine that is clear and delicate in colour. The initial taste is dry then mellows to dry to medium, with a blend of fruit and light spice flavours coming through. A great wine for every occasion, as an aperitif or accompanying lighter foods such as salads or grilled fish.

This wine is available at Rose-wine.com or on Wine-searcher.com.

Staying in is the new going out?

According to a report in the Scotsman, young Scots are more in favour of having a drink in the house rather than going out to a pub or club.

More and more 18 to 24 year olds are now celebrating special occasions without the need to go going out they attempt to save money in the current economic climate.

This is bad news for venues in Scotland as this age group is traditionally more likely to drink out than any other age group.

Market research by Mintel shows that while across all ages, the average spend on a bottle of wine from a supermarket was around six pounds, the average spend for under 25’s was considerably higher, well over eight pounds.

White wine is people’s drink of choice in the home, having been drunk by 44 per cent of people in the past six months.

Red wine comes a close second on 40 per cent, while rosé wine contributes to 2 per cent. While volume sales of rosé wine rose by 7 per cent and white by 2 per cent, sales of red wine have declined by 3 per cent.

He Knows Wine: Rose' Wine Episode

Sparkling Wine

Sparkling, or 'fizzy', wine is the result of a significantly higher content of carbon dioxide than normal wines which adds small bubbles to the liquid. The carbon dioxide content can come as a result of several factors. Sometimes it occurs naturally through the fermentation process, either in a bottle or in a large tank designed to withstand the pressures of the process, or through direct carbon dioxide injection. 

The majority of sparkling wines will be white or sparkling rose, though there are numerous examples of sparkling red wines such as Brachetto or Shiraz. Without doubt the most commonly known variety of sparkling wine is the famous Champagne, a wine produced exclusively in the region of France from which it takes its name, with other countries and regions producing their own branded versions of a similar product such as Spanish Cava or the German Sekt. 

Sparkling wines are manufactured in much the same way as still wine, with few important differences. The grapes are harvested earlier to ensure they have higher levels of acidity and lower sugar levels. Many premium producers of sparkling wines harvest by hand to avoid the risk of the mechanical harvest splitting the berries and encouraging maceration between the juice and skin.  Ideally the press house will be close to the vineyard to allow the grapes to be juiced and separated from the skins as quickly as possible.

The fermentation process begins in much the same way as it does with still wine, and when the initial fermentation process is complete base wines will normally be blended to create a blend which is the ‘house style’.  There are a variety of sparkling wines which are not blended, but the majority will be an amalgamation of numerous types and flavours of grape. It is the secondary fermentation which distinguishes sparkling wine from still, during which the manufacturer makes use of the carbon dioxide gas produced from the process to give the wine its distinctive bubbles and fizzy texture.  Usually a mixture of yeast and sugar is added to the base liquid to trigger the secondary fermentation, and the method used to bottle the wine differs depending on wither the traditional or Charmat method is being used.

Traditionally the wine will be placed into the bottle it is due to be sold in before the fermentation is triggered, before the process of riddling and disgorgement takes place to remove the driest yeast cell while retaining the carbon dioxide in the bottle. Wine manufactured using this method requires extremely thick glass bottles due to the huge amount of pressure built up during the process. The Charmat method involves a similar process which takes place inside a large pressurised tank, following which the wine is cooled, clarified and bottled. The method of carbon dioxide injection is the same as that used to create fizzy soft drinks; however this will only ever be used on the cheaper sparkling wines.

Rose-wine.com offers great sparkling wines from all over the world.

Rose Wine - The Summer Wine

It is on sunny days like this where rose wine comes into its own. It is seen as the “summer wine” and will be seen in many a beer garden and barbeque in the coming months. Rose’s are popular for this time of year because of their refreshing taste and can be very enjoyable served chilled.

Rose wines have less contact with the grape skins they are made from and are usually aged in steel vats rather than oak casts. This helps to develop a more pleasing palate, makes them easy to drink and very versatile.

Rose wines don’t have the same tannic structure of a deep red wine therefore are not really made for keeping long term in a wine cellar. Rose wines are much better drunk young so always pick a younger vintage if given a choice.

Although rose wines are mainly served chilled, it is entirely up to the drinker’s preference as to how to serve the wine. It can also be good to try serving the same wine at different temperatures to see a complex change in flavours and aromas.

Gallo Family Vineyards - White Grenache Rose Wine

The Gallo family vineyard aims to offer great wines at affordable prices, giving customers good value for money. The story began with Ernest and Julio Gallo. The two brothers started their winery in California’s Central Valley. Even today, relatives of Ernest and Julio have a hand in the running of the winery.

One of the examples of these affordable wines is the Gallo White Grenache. This  rose wine is made from grapes ripened by the Californian sunshine at the Central Valley winery. The makers use a technique where the juice is re-circulated during the fermentation process. This helps to bring out some subtle aromas in the wine and striking pale colour.

Gallo’s White Grenache rose wine is a medium to sweet rose wine, smooth and light bodied with a fresh, fruity taste. Strawberries with a hint of watermelon come through. It is best served at 10-12 degrees C and goes great with light salads or grilled seafood dishes.

This wine is available at your local supermarket or online at Rose-wine.com or on Wine-searcher.com.

Clos Mireille - Domaines Ott

Clos Mireille is Domaines Ott’s second property and is located near the sea in the Cotes de Provence. An 18th century house is surrounded by palm trees and over 40 hectares devoted to wine production, growing five different types of grape varieties.

There are two wines produced at Clos Mireille. There is the Blanc de Blancs Clos Mireille (white) and Rosé Coeur de Grain Clos Mireille (rose).

Blanc de Blancs Clos Mireille

This is a white wine made from two grape varieties. Semillon and rolle grapes are picked, selected carefully before being delicately pressed and fermented slowly before being aged in oak casts. The wine is then bottled and stored in cellars for up to a year. The result is an elegant white wine with a fruity aroma and dry taste, great for accompanying grilled fish and shellfish dishes.

Rosé Coeur de Grain Clos Mireille

Coeur de Grain is a striking pale pink rose wine from the Cotes de Provence . The wine is made using the same care that goes into all Ott wines, producing a lovely fresh rose wine with a fine balance of citrus flavours and a hint of stone fruits.

Domaines Ott

Domaines Ott was founded by Marcel Ott at the end of the 19th Century. Domaines Ott is still owned by Ott’s family today, running three estates, Chateau de Selle, Clos Mireille and Chateau Romassan. Chateau de Selle will be our focus today.


Chateau de Selle

The Chateau de Selle property has been with the Ott family since 1912 and is located in the heart of Cotes de Provence country near St. Tropez. Here there is 61 hectares devoted to wine production growing four different grape varieties, Syrah, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Grenache and Cinsault. The vineyard produces three wines
- Coeur de Grain Chateau de Selle Rosé
- Rouges Comtes de Provence
- Vieux Marc de Rosé

Coeur de Grain Chateau de Selle Rosé

This rose wine is a blend of all the grape varieties grown at the vineyard. The grapes are hand picked, sorted and then delicately pressed. The wine is then matured in oak barrels. The end result is a very pale orange/pink wine which is both fruity and spicy. Domaines Ott*, Coeur de Grain Chateau de Selle Rosé can be found in many top dining establishments and is often considered one of the best rose wines in the world.

Rouges Comtes de Provence

This elegant red wine has a fresh, fruity aroma and is pleasantly smooth to taste. This wine goes great with a meal, combining well with strong flavoured meats such as duck, veal and beef. The wine is best served at 15/16 degrees C.

Vieux Marc de Rosé


This wine is produced from the solids left after pressing, slowly fermented and then distilled. The wine is left to age in oak barrels for 6 years. Best served at 12 degrees C or chilled.

Cooking With Wine

When food and wine are mentioned together, it is usually to ask what wine will go best with dinner but wine can also be an essential ingredient in the cooking process too.

The most important rule in cooking with wine is to only use a wine that you would drink. If you wouldn’t like to drink it, you’re probably not going to want to taste it in your dinner. Wine has three main uses in the kitchen. It can be used as a marinade to prepare for a dish, as a cooking liquid used to make sauces and as a flavouring. The idea is that using wine will enhance the flavour and aroma of a dish and not mask it or over power it.

For best results, don’t add the wine too late to the dish. The wine should be allowed to simmer with the food to enhance the flavour of the dish and allow the alcohol in the wine to evaporate.

Organic Wine

Organic products are seen as being quite trendy. Everyone likes to be seen doing there bit for the environment these days. It usually costs that bit more as there is sometimes more care and effort gone into the product or so they say.

A truly organic wine can’t be made unless it comes from organic grapes. This means that the grapes used must be grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides or herbicides that are used to protect vines from pests and managing weeds. Wineries have had to come up with new ways of combating these pests using things from the natural world.

Once the organic grapes are harvested, any other additive that is usually introduced at the winery such as yeast must also be organic or it will compromise the wines organic status. Wines which then come into contact with non organic ingredients cannot be labelled as organic but could read “made with organic grapes.”

At the end of the day, there are many great tasting wines out there, some organic, some not. If you are going to go down the organic route then make sure you are buying the real deal.

Wine Accompanying a Meal

When choosing a wine to accompany a meal, the general idea is to choose white wine for a light meal and red for a heavier meal.

This being that a light meal such grilled chicken or fish would suit being accompanied by a white wine or maybe even a good rose wine, as the flavour of the meal wouldn’t overpower the wine and vice versa.

Red wine has a stronger flavour and is more suited to heartier meals such as red meats with rich sauces.

These general rules are only a guideline and it can be good to experiment. Trust your own palate as no one can tell you what you like or dislike. The most important thing is that you enjoy the wine and the food.