This week I wanted to review a beautiful Rosé that I had the pleasure of drinking over the weekend. I’ve been loving a good Rosé for lunch or before dinner, they are so refreshing and light, perfectly paired with a light meal or a cheese platter. It is easy to see why they are having a moment, as I find they appeal to both red and white drinkers. They are the perfect wine when you aren’t sure what someone prefers, as they tend to go down a treat. I’ve even noticed a lot of my male friends getting in on the Rose action, so these definitely are no longer a female only drink! And why should the girls have all the fun when you can have some delicious wines?

The thing I find out Rosé is that when I’m buying one I am not familiar with, I get a little worried it might be too sweet. It can be so hard to tell sometimes, and sometimes I feel like I’m taking a gamble which might end in me sipping on something like moscato. Not that there is anything wrong with moscato at the right time, but that’s beside the point. Rose has a bit of a reputation for being sweet, but as it has gained popularity, it has become easier to find drier Rosé’s that are subtle and lack that sweet flavour. These are the ones I prefer as a predominate red drinker, and are definitely the one’s I am always on the hunt for.

French Rose is always a good idea

So this weekend my partner’s cousin brought over a beautiful brie along with a bottle of Rosé, cementing her place in my heart (she obviously knows the way to it). The bottle she brought over was the Domaine D’Estienne Rose 2016, which I’ve had a search for online and is a little difficult to get, but you’d probably find in a smaller, more boutique bottle shop.  It is from France and so most of the label is in French, and is also quite simple in its design. What I found most striking though was the colour. It was soft, peachy and almost bordering on a white.

This one was certainly one of the best ones that I’ve had in a while. I tend not to go for the French varieties of Rosé, as because they are French the price tag tends to be a lot higher, especially in restaurants. The fact is a lot of the Rosé that is coming out of Australian wineries is on par with the French drops. I know that might be sacrilege to some, but I honestly believe it to be true! Some of my favourite Rosé’s have been from Australian or New Zealand wineries, and they often don’t carry the price tags of the French counterparts. So next time you feel like a Rosé, a little tip, look for the comparable Australian Rosé on the menu. You won’t be disappointed!

What I loved about it

This is the sort of Rosé that I love, and I will often purchase my Rosé based on the colour. The pinker it is, the less likely I am to buy it (there are a couple of exceptions but I find this general rule stands me in good stead). I was amazed by the colour of this particular Rosé as it is one of the most subtle Rosé’s I’ve seen in a long time.

The taste of this Rosé was excellent. It was refreshing and not too sweet at all, and the dryness was complemented by a tart almost citrus flavour. It was pretty complex on the palette, and kept you wanting more of it. We polished the bottle off quite quickly, as it was so good!

What to enjoy it with

It was perfect with a little cheese platter, and excellent for getting us in the mood for dinner. This would be a perfect lunch time Rosé as well, paired perfectly with a fresh salad, some chicken or fish. I loved how drinkable it was by not being overpowering in its sweetness. It was so light and refreshing.

Final verdict

There are many Rosé’s that I love, but if I see this one in a bottle shop the next time I am there, I will most definitely be picking up a few bottles of this for the warm summer months.