Bring a bottle of sunshine into your life with a rosé. Or two. Or three this summer. Here, a few of our favourites:
Monte Creek Winery 2021 Living Land Rosé
(Thompson Valley, British Columbia, Canada)
This medium-dark pink rosé is as richly flavoured and fruit-driven as its colour suggests, and is part of Monte Creek Winery‘s Living Land lineup of wines, a lineup that includes a Chardonnay, Sparkling Rosé, Piquette, Pinot Noir, Foch, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Merlot.
“The Living Land series is a celebration of the idea that great wines only come from balanced vines and earth that is truly alive and thriving,” according to the winemaking team.
“It speaks to the idea that to grow incredible fruit, you must promote and maintain an environment that is healthy and working with nature, not against it.”
Long-time fans of the winery will notice the new label: Simple, uncluttered, classy. And for those of you who may be new to Monte Creek, the winery is located in the Thompson Valley, which was officially recognized as its own distinct Canadian wine region in 2018. About $25.
Gray Monk 2021 Rosé
(Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada)
One of the oldest wineries in the Okanagan Valley, Gray Monk is still one of the stalwarts on the valley’s wine scene, making a full range of wines that are reliably good, year after year. The new rosé is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Rotberger, a red wine grape that’s a cross between Riesling and Trollinger (a red Grape found in Germany and Italy.) With notes of strawberry, cranberry and green tea, it pairs well with charcuterie, grilled salmon or roast chicken. We drank the rest of it with Lebanese takeout, and it was excellent with the shawarma. About $20.
Sandhill 2021 Rosé
(Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada)
Prefer a lighter style of rosé, the kind of wine you’d find in, say, Provence, but you want to enjoy something from closer to home? Sandhill has you covered with this crisp, dry, light orange-pink rosé that’s made of a blend of Merlot and Gamay. It pairs perfectly with charcuterie, Caprese salad, roast chicken, or Brillat-Savarin cheese and a baguette. About $21.
Barone Ricasoli, 2020 Albia Rosé
(Tuscany, Italy)
The Ricasoli vineyards are located on an ancient estate that dates back more than 1,000 years near Gaiole in Chianti, southeast of Florence.
Made from Merlot and Sangiovese grapes, this wine is pale pink in hue but with lots of flavour: Floral, sweet notes on the nose, with cherry and raspberry on the palate. As the winemaker suggests, it’s an excellent aperitivo, but it would also be excellent with a variety of dishes, maybe charcuterie, or a simply prepared pork tenderloin, roast chicken or turkey. I intend to share a chilled bottle with friends on the patio on a hot afternoon, and pretend we’re in Italy. About $21.
Domaine Houchart 2021 Cotes de Province
(Cotes de Provence, France)
A classic Provencal rosé, this offering from Domaine Houchart is a must-try if you’re a serious fan of rosé wines. (And that curvy bottle! Love!) For generations, Provence’s famous rosés have been legendary amongst wine lovers for their crisp, light style and their famous medium-light pink colour. Long a major player in the region, Domaine Houchart was bought in 1890 (yes, 1890) by Famille Quiot, a 13th generation winery.
A blend of Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah and Tibouren (a red French wine grape variety found mostly in Provence), it is the stuff of dreams served with Brillat-Savarin or Chateau de Bourgogne cheese, or simply a wedge of Brie (much easier to find), olives and good crackers or a baguette. About $23.
Cune 2020 Rioja Rosado
(Rioja, Spain)
This wine regularly makes an appearance on our dining room table, especially in summer, and for good reason. It’s rich enough in flavour and colour to thrill red wine lovers, yet it’s zesty enough for other wine drinkers. Serve chilled alongside grilled salmon, souvlaki skewers, grilled Mediterranean vegetables, or simply hummus and pita.
From Cune (sometimes spelled CVNE), a winery that dates back more than 140 years in the Rioja region. About $16.
Dolce & Gabbana and Donnafugata 2021 Rosa
(Sicily, Italy)
One for collectors, this beautifully packaged medium-pink rosado is a collaboration between legendary Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana and renowned Sicilian winery Donnafugata.
The wine is a blend of hand-harvested Nerello Mascalese and Nocera grapes; it’s fragrant with notes of peaches and roses. A brilliant wine for an aperitivo, it will also pair nicely with white fish dishes or shrimp, perhaps a shrimp salad.
PS: The wine comes in a gorgeous cardboard collectible box. About $48.