Its homeland may be Provence, where its mystique conjures sunny days on the French Riviera, but quality rosé is now made wherever wine grapes prosper. The best from Sonoma, Oregon or other regions may be pricier than the standards from France, but they can be delicious and worth the splurge. Go for it.
Here are nine rosés, each under $20, and each a great value, to kick-start your summer.
Bertani Velante Bertarose 2023
Bertani is famous for amarone, the sturdy, powerful red wine of northern Italy. This rosé, made with the same grapes, is starkly different in style. Racy with refreshing acidity, bursting with flavors of raspberries, cranberries and wild strawberries, and with a hint of baking spice — it’s nimble on the palate and an absolute delight. If you’re keeping track of grape varieties, the blend is corvina, molinara, corvinone and rondinella. Alcohol by volume: 12.5 percent. Bottle weight: 515 grams (Average).
Imported by Taub Family Selections. Distributed locally by RNDC.
Jean-Luc Colombo Cape Bleue Rosé 2023
IGP Méditerranée, France, $16
This wine is consistently a great value rosé. Strawberries and cantaloupe are seasoned with wild herbs and sea salt for a refreshing, savory treat. ABV: 12.5 percent. BW: 390 grams (Light).
Imported by Taub Family Selections. Distributed locally by RNDC.
La Vieille Ferme Rosé 2023
The widely available La Vielle Ferme is one of the top-selling rosés in the United States. Year after year, it defies expectations for such an affordable wine: The 2023 is on the melon side of rosé — cantaloupe, watermelon and wild herbs grace the palate. La Vieille Ferme is a label of the Perrin family, a leading producer in the Rhone Valley. This wine is also available in 1.5-liter bottles and 3-liter boxes for even greater value. ABV: 12.5 percent. BW: 415 grams (Light).
Imported by Vineyard Brands. Distributed locally by Breakthru Beverage Group.
Plaimont Rosé d’Enfer 2023
The label boasts “one hell of a rosé,” and I can’t disagree. This one hails from the Pyrenees foothills of southwestern France and blends a local grape called pinenc with cabernet sauvignon. The result is flavors with more spice than fruit, and a long, refreshing finish. Certified sustainable. ABV: 12 percent. BW: 550 grams (Average).
Imported by Tri-Vin. Distributed locally by DMV Distributing.
Côteaux Bourguignons, France, $16
The storied Burgundy producer makes this tasty rosé from gamay, the grape of Beaujolais. Look for flavors of melon and cherries. The wine is a bit austere, suggesting that it might soften a little with another few months in bottle. So I might hold a few bottles until September for a warm early-autumn evening. ABV: 12.5 percent. BW: 420 grams (Light).
Pigoudet Première Rosé 2023
Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, France, $16
Here is a textbook Provence rosé, offering strawberry flavors with garrigue hints of sage and thyme. It’s so good, it almost made a gloomy day feel like a sunny afternoon on the patio. ABV: 12.5 percent. BW: 535 grams (Average).
Imported and distributed locally by Rooted Imports and Distribution.
Vignobles François Ravel Château Montaud 2023
Côtes de Provence, France, $15
Tart berries yield to ripe honeydew melon on this inexpensive charmer in an elegant traditional Provencal bottle. ABV: 12.5 percent. BW: 515 grams (Average).
Imported and distributed locally by M. Touton Selection.
Klinker Brick Bricks & Roses Rosé 2023
Mokelumne River, Lodi, Calif., $16
This Rhone-style blend of grenache, mourvedre, carignane and syrah adds some warm Lodi spice for a California accent. Certified sustainable. ABV: 12.6 percent. BW: 545 grams (Average).
Distributed locally by RNDC.
Strawberry and cantaloupe, with a hint of thyme, make this inexpensive rosé a great value for the price. ABV: 12.5 percent. BW: 400 grams (Light).
Imported by Winesellers. Distributed locally by Winebow.
Prices are approximate. For availability, check Wine.com, Wine-searcher.com and the websites and social media feeds of the wineries, importers, distributors, and your favorite local wine store. You can also ask your local retailer to order wines from the distributors listed. Bottle weight is included, because this is the single most important contributor to wine’s carbon footprint. Have wine questions for Dave McIntyre? Send them to Food@washpost.com.
★ Good: The wine delivers what it promises at a fair price. If it says chardonnay, it tastes like chardonnay.
★★ Excellent: A wine with character and added interest. May elevate your eyebrows at the first sip.
★★★ Extraordinary: An exciting wine that stands out from others in its class. Fist-pumping, table-thumping good.
★★★★ Sublime: Otherworldly. May have you thinking, “So this is what they were talking about.”
