What Is the Best Rosé Wine to Drink Now? We've Got Answers

Have you heard of a June event called “Rosé Wine Day”? In our Eastern Shore of Maryland region, there are two wine retailers. Both of them featured rosé wines in their weekend promotions, with tastings. And if you were tasting them for the first time, you were in for a surprise. Some of the best rosé wines were not too sweet but light and flavorful. Tasters had no problem imagining serving them for a refreshing luncheon. And there were even several wines that might be kept for a spell in your wine cellar. This would allow them to age a few months more, to be at maximum taste pleasure.

Let’s look at some easy-to-source and easy on the wallet rosé wines to try this summer:

Best rosé wine options to try today:

1. Vielle Ferme Rosé
2. Chateau le Champteloup Cabernet d’Anjou Rosé
3. Whispering Angel
4. Rock Angel 
5. Garrus 
6. Chateau Miraval

Rosé Wines from the Loire:

Next, let’s look at where many French rosé wines originate: the Loire. There has been a gradual increase in the quality of Loire Valley rosé wines. This in turn has posed something of a threat to the ocean of rosé wines produced in Provence. The Loire Valley also has experienced a rise in the quality of wines produced in that storied region. Instead of the lighter Rosé d’Anjou wines, now you should look for Cabernet d’Anjou wines. They are produced from Cabernet Franc grapes. These wines are dryer and more flavorful than the lighter Rosé d’Anjou. They also have more distinctive tastes and characters. For a sample of this grape adapted for rosé wine, try a Chateau le Champteloup Cabernet d’Anjou Rosé. This wine is made from Cabernet Franc grapes and is a great bargain.

Provence Rosé Wines:

The third category is Provence rosé wines. With Provence rosé wines, the problem has always been one of quality. My friend Sacha Lichine, son of Alexis Lichine, told me a few years ago that he was leaving Bordeaux. He had the ambition of producing the world’s finest rosé wine. He may well have succeeded. His Chateau d’Esclans now sets a high standard for rosé wines. Try my favorite Whispering Angel, a blend of Grenache (73%), with minor percentages of Rolle, Cinsault, Syrah, and Mourvedre grapes. This is a balanced and flavorful wine. You’ll wish that you had discovered it earlier! Other wines in the Chateau d’Esclans portfolio include: