By Rose Murray Brown MW    Published in The Scotsman 11 February 2023

My pick of my Top Ten rose sparkling wines on our shelves to serve up on Valentine’s Day next week:

ROSE SPARKLING WINE

Italy: PROSECCO ROSE 2020
£10 Marks & Spencer
This scored highest amongst the supermarket own label Prosecco Rose we tasted – our tasters loved its subtle fragrance, silky soft palate, bright raspberry fruits and sleek elegant finish.  Like all pink Prosecco it is made from Glera and Pinot Noir – with a moderate 11% alcohol.

Italy: LE COLTURE PROSECCO ROSE BRUT 2020
£13.95 Corney & Barrow; £14 Hic Winemerchants
One of the best pink Proseccos on the market at this price made by the famous Ruggeri family who grow Glera and Pinot Noir vines on terraces– all worked by hand in Valdobbiadene the heartland of classic Prosecco.  Subtle pink fizz with hints of rosewater scents and bright red fruit flavours.

South Africa: GRAHAM BECK ROSE BRUT NV
£14.99 Majestic Wine; £16 Ocado; £16.99 Luvians; Fountainhall Wines
Graham Beck is a legend in the Cap Classique world, considering the volume produced this traditional method fizz is sheer class for the price – and better quality than their standard white fizz.  Blend of 48% Pinot Noir and 52% Chardonnay are handpicked from Beck’s own estates in Robertson, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch with long lees time.  Subtle yeasty notes, creamy palate, crushed berry fruits and lively acidity.

England: EVERFLYHT ROSE DE SAIGNEE 2019 ***STAR BUY***
£40 Grape Britannia; Finest Bubble
Everflyht is a new name on the English wine scene based in the South Downs.  This is their first impressive rose cuvee – deliciously smoky biscuity red fruited Pinot Noir/Pinot Meunier vintage blend with colour from skin contact (saignee).  Loved its lively mousse and complex flavours.

Chile: ESTELADO TRADITIONAL METHOD PAIS NV
£12.75 Fareham Wine Cellar; Roberts & Speight; The Drink Shop
Pais grape was the first variety planted in Chile back in C16, also known as the Mission grape.  Spurned for decades in favour of French grapes, it is now enjoying a revival.  Legendary winemaker Miguel Torres who was one of the first international wineries to invest in Chile created the first traditional method Pais: lovely bright raspberry fruits, silky, soft and good value.

England: CAMEL VALLEY PINOT NOIR BRUT ROSE 2019
£31.99 reduced from £35.99 at Waitrose until 14 February
A multi-awarded Cornish gem from the Lindo family near Bodmin moor (vineyard pictured above).  This Champagne-method fizz is pale, delicate with lovely strawberry scents – this has creamy softness and integrated ripe acidity – would suit those who find English wines too acidic.

ROSE CHAMPAGNE

THE SOCIETY’S CHAMPAGNE ROSE NV  ***STAR BUY***
£39.50 The Wine Society
This scored high in our tasting for its sheer intensity of fruit – it really is bursting with very ripe strawberry aromas and flavours with rich creamy depth.  A skilful blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier by winemaker Champagne Alfred Gratien’s winemaker Nicolas Jaeger.

CHAMPAGNE PALMER ROSE SOLERA NV
£45 North South Wines; Champagne Direct
From the impressive Palmer co-operative, whose members have significant holdings in Montagne de Reims area of Champagne.  The Palmer name is thought to have been inspired by Huntly and Palmer biscuits.  ‘Solera’ refers to the perpetual reserve of Pinot Noir which has matured for several decades – 8% of which is added at the blending stage to give it its hint of colour, wonderful fruit and spicy depth with three years on lees adding creamy depth.

CHAMPAGNE BILLECART SALMON BRUT ROSE NV
£59.99 Luvians
This Mareuil-sur-Ay based Champagne house is for those who like really pure bright fruits – their light subtle rose is legendary.  One of this house’s techniques is do double cold settling of the must prior to fermentation which gives clean vibrant fruits; this is an entrancing fresh berried fruit blend of 40% Chardonnay with equal amounts of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

CHAMPAGNE LARMANDIER BERNIER ROSE DE SAIGNEE 1ER CRU EXTRA BRUT NV
£73 Woodwinters
For those who love 100% Pinot Noir fizz, this shows Pierre Larmandier’s very minerally style and pure ripe fruits which derive from late picking biodynamically-grown fruit.  This savoury earthy rose is made by the maceration method from old vines near Vertus village where this family Champagne house are based in southern Cote des Blancs.

Join Rose’s Champagne v Sparkling Wine Tasting on Thursday 20 July at The Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh www.rosemurraybrown.com