Wine Type: Dry Rosé

(2025) An all-encompassing blend of 30% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Tannat, 10% Syrah, 10% Malbec and 5% Pinot Noir from vineyards in Gascony. It has a relatively deep and bronze-tinged colour, and a fruit-forward nose of passionfruit and strawberry. With only 10.5% alcohol it is fresh on the palate despite the fruit ripeness that has an almost jammy edge, with good acid adding to the easy drinking balance.

(2025) Less than £6 from Aldi, a wine from Utiel-Requena made from the local Bobal variety. Pale salmon in colour and with just 11.5 abv, it's suitably easy-going with pot-pourri scents of cherry lips and flowers, and a little residual sugar to ease the finish. It has decent balance in the end, if a little too sweet for me. Will find fans.

(2025) Following on from last year's successful 2023 (87 points) this inexpensive wine is again an IGP Mediterranée, an appellation that covers all of Provence, the southern reaches of the Rhône Valley and even the island of Corsica. The blend here includes Merlot as well as Grenache and Syrah. Pale and peachy-salmon pink, fruity flavours encompass red berries, pear and citrus. The palate is dry, with a pleasing texture and a nicely judged acidity that slices through the succulent mid-palate fruit.

(2025) This Vin de France is another lighter wine, both in colour and its 12% alcohol. I believe it is based on Grenache and Cinsault and comes mostly from the Languedoc. Quite neutral, though some pretty red berry fruit in there and just a hint of confectionery. In the mouth balance is pretty good, though it has a touch of sweetness. There is something about this wine that always feels a little too confected for me, though it is a crowd-pleasing summer-in-the-garden sipper.

(2025) At time of review deals on the big brother to this wine, Whispering Angel itself, actually brought them in at the same price and for me there's no contest that whilst this is very pleasant, it's a step or two down. From Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence it is pale and refined with a rose petal and bob-bon character, moving on to a palate that is balanced but a little dilute compared to the concentration of the very good Whispering Angel 2024.

(2025) A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault from some of the appellation's highest vineyards at 420m above sea level. Delicate and fruity, raspberry and marshmallow spring to mind, the palate following on with a dry, gastronomic character, small red berries but a very clean mineral and lemon finish.

(2025) From Comté Tolosan in Southwest France, a wine made from Negrette that is fashionably pale and opens with cold ferment reminders of pear drop and cherry lips. In the mouth decent sweetness and a red fruit, summery feeling with a nice level of acidity to balance. Inexpensive and attractive.

(2025) Made for Laithwaites by Luis Felipe Edwards, this is a Merlot-Malbec blend from Rapel. Fasionably peachy and pale, there's strawberry in abundance on the aromatics here, indeed strawberries and cream. In the mouth, more of the same, with a fair dollop of residual sugar adding to the sweet feeling of the fruit. Orange is another distinctive note in the acidity, though it finishes just a bit cloying for my palate, so loses a point or two. £7.99 for Laithwaites subscribers.

(2025) The 2024 Rosé de Léoube is an organic blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvèdre, obviously ripe as it weighs in with 14% alcohol. Very pale in colour, sweet Parma violet and bon-bon fruit is elegant, and yes, a little hint of something herby and mineral to steady the ship. In the mouth it has a substantial fruit sweetness and ripeness, quite a full body, but fine balance as the acidity asserts, not aggressively, but cleansing and propelling the finish. Stylish.

(2025) No idea what grape varieites are in this zero alcohol drink, the fruit coming from "the border between Victoria and New South Wales", so I am guessing Riverina. It actually gets a thumbs up from me as one of the better alcohol removed wines I've come across (and recently that's a lot), whilst still being nothing like wine, it has a herby, red berry attractive quality and is quaffable enough. A decent effort.