CityLife

Light and bright - summer roses

A rose from Down Under

AS the heat continues to fry eggs on Teflon pavements (just being metaphorical) here are some summer roses to chill for the garden – varying in style but all of a pretty high standard.

From Catalonia old dependable Torres Vina Sol Rose 2008 (Tesco, Thresher, Waitrose, Booths, £5.99) is a lovely bright pink and smells of cherry yoghurt, but on the palate is tremendously strawberry and creamish.

Slightly sweeter but of a similar upfront style is an Aussie, Grant Burge Benchmark 2008, pictured.

Cranberries and toffee apples some fanciful tasting notes say, but they are not far away in describing this charmer (southaustralian wines.co.uk, £6.49).

Fresher still is Louis Jadot Beaujolais Rose 2007 (Waitrose, DeFine, Booths, £8.99).

It’s redcurrant jelly in the glass with a discernible pluck of acidity. From the Rhone further south in France is a different pink beast. Altogether – much drier – is Vidal Fleury Cotes-du- Rhone Rose 2008 from one of the region’s oldest wineries.

Grenache

A light blend of Rhone varietals cinsault, grenache and mourvedre, is a brilliant pink, redcurrant and strawberry scents and a lovely citrus undertone.

At £10.99 from everywine.co.uk, it is a serious food rose.
So too is a classic Provencal rose from vineyards near Aix – Chateau Pontet Bagatelle’s La Rosee de Bagatelle 2008. Bar 10 per cent syrah, it is all Grenache. It is ‘onion skin’ pale, slightly peachy.

There is peach and apricot on the nose and a a restrained fruitiness. My two favourite roses of the summer, though, are less complicated thirst quenchers. Stand to the front: Chateau de Sours Rose 2008 from Bordeaux and a Kiwi, Esk Valley Black Label Rose 2008, pictured.

The first is a deep coloured rose with rich strawberry and plum flavours, the second is quite spicy with lots of plum from its 93 per cent merlot/seven peer cent malbec mix.

The cost respectively £8.99 (buy two bottle save £4) from Majestic and £7.99 from newzealand houseofwine.co.uk.