Welcome to the Summer of Pink, it’s what this season has been called with the rise of FANTASTIC South African Rosés, and these are the five that are in my fridge right now, chilling for the weekend!
Rosés have always been on the backburner for me. I love a red wine that is almost meaty its so heavy, and I appreciate the strong flavour of a heavily wooded chardonnay, but I’ve forced myself to discover the the subtler side of South African wines and I’ve started with rosés.
Another bonus of rosés? They’re not super expensive, nobody usually objects to a good one, and they look gorgeous on a table! Stick with these suggestions, and everybody will believe you’re a pink dream better than Katy Perry at your next supper club…
Spier Chardonnay Pinot Noir
Firstly, let’s talk about the colour of this guy: it’s what Spier describes as salmon, but it reminds me of those deep, peachy clouds you sometimes see when you get up early enough. Flavourwise, we’re talking strawberries and apples with a tiny minerality in its finish. Serve this with a salmon and avo sushi salad, everybody will be dead impressed!
Recommended retail price: R54 directly from Spier.
Miss Molly Petit Rose
I’ve written about this little gem before in my Five great South African bubblies blog, it’s absolutely still one of my favourites! From being impossible to find, I now manage to stock up the fridge regularly and Miss Molly has become a back-up bubbles in the fridge for when I’m in the mood (hint: often). It’s a bit like cranberry and cherries and happiness in a fizz…
Recommended retail price: R120 directly from Moreson.
Simonsig Chenin Blanc Pinotage
This little delight is exclusively sold at Woolies and I love the unique combination of chenin blanc and pinotage. It’s a fruity number with a peachy translucence and feels very tropical. I’d even go so far as to say you could get away with using this for some kind of punch (that’s 18-year old Kate talking).
Recommended retail price: R54 online with Woolworths.
Woolies MCC Brut Rose
Okay, so here’s the kicker: I adore drinking bubbles, but it’s not the cheapest exercise. I’ve often said that if I could survive on champagne alone, I would. This MCC is a wonder, and what most people don’t realise, is that it’s an excellent Villiera MCC that is packaged for Woolies. So it’s in disguise in a way, but it’s also less than R100 for a bottle, and that, friends, is reason alone to have this at home.
Recommended retail price: R95 online with Woolworths.
Graham Beck Allure Chardonnay Pinot Noir
I feel like a Woolworths tramp here, but this is another pink bottled exclusively for them. I swear this post isn’t sponsored, but it is where I do my shopping and have an occasional browse! I chose this bottle purely because of the beautiful label if I’m honest. This wine is crisp, is rippled with berries and works very well with a light seafood dish, but then again, all of these wines do!
Recommended retail price: R65 online with Woolworths.
What others rosés should I be stocking on my wine rack? Let me know in the comments below…
