Eleven outstanding rosés for under £20

If you’re feeling a little swamped by the choice of rosés on the market right now, and don’t want to risk disappointment, we are here to help with the best pink wines for under £20 from this year’s Global Rosé Masters.

With summer now with us, wine drinker’s thoughts inevitably turn to rosé, particularly the pale, dry sort that’s fashionable right now, but with so much on the shelves, it’s necessary to have some form of guidance.

Well, having conducted the Global Rosé Masters earlier this year, which is the largest professional tasting of pink wines in the UK so far in 2020, we can offer some direction for drinkers.

That’s because the samples are assessed ‘blind’ – meaning that the tasting is done without any knowledge as to the source region or producer – ensuring that it is an independent and unbiased judge of quality, and quality alone.

And, because the competition is truly global, it allows pink liquid products from all corners of the world to be sampled side by side, so we can test whether a rosé from Spain is as good, or better, than another from France – that is, within the same price category.

And, having already listed the best rosés under £10, which you can view here, this selection is focused on the highlights in the £10-£20 category.

While these don’t represent the cheapest end of the market, it this is one of the most competitive areas of the business, and the price segment where the majority of Provençal rosé is found – which is why this list features plenty of wines from this part of France.

On the other hand, if you want to read about top-end rosés for fine wine lovers, then click here.

Finally, I should stress that the following rosé recommendations have all been taken from this year’s Global Rosé Masters, which saw almost 200 wines assessed without any knowledge as to source region or producer – and please click here to see the results from the competition in full.

So, if you think you deserve a place on this list, please visit The Global Masters website for more information, and, to enter future competitions, please call: +44 (0) 20 7803 2420 or email Sophie Raichura at: sophie@thedrinksbusiness.com

Meanwhile, please read on for the 11-strong selection…

11. Pink Pinot

• Producer: Lawson’s Dry Hills
• Country: New Zealand
• Region: Marlborough
• ABV: 13%
• Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
• Vintage: 2019
• Price: £10-£15
• Residual sugar level: 2.9 g/l
• Closure type: Screwcap
• Colour: Pale bubblegum pink
• Medal: Gold

A brilliant producer of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Lawson’s Dry Hills has used Pinot Noir grown in this famous part of New Zealand to craft this delicious fruity rosé, with masses of ripe, slightly jammy strawberry flavours, plus a touch of tomato leaf, and a fresh, but soft, dry finish.

10. M-G Grande Cuvée

• Producer: Maison Gutowski
• Country: France
• Region: Provence
• Grape Variety: 40% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 15% Cinsault, 10% Rolle
• Vintage: 2019
• Price band: £10-15
• Residual sugar level: 1.3 g/l
• Closure type: Agglomerated cork
• Colour: Pale salmon pink
• Medal: Gold

This may not be one of the famous Provençal producers, but Maison Gutowski’s rosés are right up there with the top names, as shown by this M-G Grande Cuvée, which is crammed with fleshy peach and ripe apple fruit, along with a touch of pink grapefruit freshness too.

9. Hampton water

• Hampton Water
• Producer: Gérard Bertrand
• Country: France
• Region: Languedoc-Roussillon
• ABV: 13%
• Grape Variety: 40% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 30% Mourvèdre
• Vintage: 2019
• Price band: £10-15
• Residual sugar level: 1
• Closure type: Screwcap
• Colour: Very pale salmon pink
• Medal: Gold

Hampton Water is in fact a collaboration between Languedoc wine star Gérard Bertrand and rocker Jon Bon Jovi for the booming rosé market in the top summer retreat for New Yorkers: the Hamptons. Of course anyone can drink it, and if they do, will take delight in its particular peachy style – it’s like biting into juicy yellow fruit, with its lovely combination of sweetness and freshness. So, if you want a first rate dry rosé with a celebrity connection, then this is it.

8. Mirabeau Classic

• Producer: Mirabeau en Provence
• Country: France
• Region: Provence
• ABV: 13%
• Grape Variety: 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 15% Cinsault
• Vintage: 2019
• Price band: £10-15
• Residual sugar level: 0.8 g/l
• Closure type: Screwcap
• Colour: Pale salmon pink
• Medal: Gold

Mirabeau make a broad range of fantastic Provençal rosés, but if you want something reliably good without spending a fortune, then this producer’s ‘Classic’ is a brilliant bet, with layers of wild strawberry, sweet peach, and orange zest.

7. Born Rosé

• Producer: Born Rosé Barcelona
• Country: Spain
• Region: Penedès
• ABV: 11.5%
• Grape Variety: 85% Grenache, 15% Tempranillo
• Vintage: 2019
• Price band: £10-15
• Residual sugar level: 1.76 g/l
• Closure type: Vinolok
• Colour: Salmon pink
• Medal: Gold

Among the delicate pale dry Provençal rosés sampled in this year’s Global Rosé Masters was this delicious pink wine from Penedès in Spain. Called Born Rosé, it has all the appealing hallmarks of fine French rosé – peach, pomegranate and citrus zest – but a just touch more juicy strawberry fruit than one generally gets from Provence.

6. La Chapelle en Rose

• Producer: Château Saint Jacques d’Albas
• Country: France
• Region: Languedoc-Roussillon
• ABV: 13%
• Grape Variety: 75% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah
• Vintage: 2019
• Price band: £15-20
• Residual sugar level: <0.4 g/l
• Closure type: Agglomerated cork
• Colour: Pale salmon pink
• Medal: Gold

Named after an 11th century chapel by the vineyard, La Chapelle en Rose is a fantastic find for French rosé lovers, with masses of ripe peach and crisp red apple fruit, making it a juicy and refreshing drop.

5. Terroir Rosé

• Producer: Mission Hill Estate Winery
• Country: Canada
• Region: Okanagan Valley
• ABV: 13%
• Grape Variety: 74% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 13% Syrah
• Vintage: 2019
• Price band: £15-20
• Residual sugar level: 2.9 g/l
• Closure type: Natural cork
• Colour: Pale salmon pink
• Medal: Gold

You don’t have to drink pink from the Med for summer refreshment, as proved by the peach, strawberry and citrus-flavoured rosé from Canada’s Okanagan Valley. The only difference with its European counterparts comes in the form of this wine’s slightly crunchier character – Mission Hill’s Terroir Rosé has a firm redcurrant bite.

4. Minuty Prestige

• Producer: Minuty
• Country: France
• Region: Provence
• ABV: 13%
• Grape Variety: 70% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 5% Tibouren, 5% Syrah
• Vintage: 2019
• Price band: £15-20
• Residual sugar level: 0.8 g/l
• Closure type: Agglomerated cork
• Colour: Very pale salmon pink
• Medal: Gold

Like Mirabeau, Minuty is one of Provence’s largest and best-known rosé producers, and we love its output, particularly this mid-market version, with plenty of ripe pear and peach, a slightly oily-texture, and then a dry, fresh, but soft acid-finish, making it hard not to drink at a pace.

3. Love by Léoube

• Producer: Château Léoube
• Country: France
• Region: Provence
• ABV: 13%
• Grape Variety: 50% Grenache, 50% Cinsault
• Vintage: 2019
• Price band: £15-20
• Residual sugar level: 1 g/l
• Closure type: Agglomerated cork
• Colour: Very pale salmon pink
• Medal: Gold

If you want organic wine and benchmark Provençal rosé, then you need look no further than the produce of Château Léoube. Owned by organic farming specialists the Bamford family, the affordable Love by Léoube is a great option with masses of white cherry fruit, and a touch of orange blossom and citrus zest, making for a delicate and delectable pink drinking experience.

2. Whispering Angel

• Producer: Caves d’Esclans
• Country: France
• Region: Provence
• ABV: 13.5%
• Grape Variety: 56% Grenache, 18% Cinsault, 10% Vermentino, 10% Syrah, 6% Others
• Vintage: 2019
• Price band: £15-20
• Residual sugar level: 0.46 g/l
• Closure type:
• Colour: Very pale salmon pink
• Medal: Gold

All Provençal rosé lovers know the name Whispering Angel – the best-selling label from Caves d’Esclans. Rightly demanded worldwide, it’s a brilliant pink drink with just a touch of ripe peach and strawberry fruit, and a delicate tingle of grapefruit, which merge seemlessly to create a form of refreshment that’s ripe, but oh so light.

1. By Ott

• Producer: Domaines Ott
• Country: France
• Region: Provence
• ABV: 13.5%
• Grape Variety: 60% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 6% Syrah, 4% Mouvèdre
• Vintage: 2018
• Price band: £15-20
• Residual sugar level: 2 g/l
• Closure type: Agglomerated cork
• Colour: Very pale salmon pink
• Medal: Master

By Ott may be the entry-point for the upmarket Provençal pink producer that is Domaines Ott, but it’s a delicious place to start. With cherry, peach, and pear flavours, plus a touch of pomegranate and orange blossom too, it’s both soft and bright at the same time, which means it’s a wonderful companion for sunny days.

About The Global Rosé Masters

The Global Rosé Masters is a competition from the drinks business for all styles of rosés from around the world. This year’s event saw almost 200 entries judged blind. The best wines were awarded medals which ranged from Bronze through to Gold as well as Rosé Master, the ultimate accolade given only to exceptional wines in the tasting.

For further information on The Global Masters please call +44 (0)20 7803 2420 or email Sophie Raichura at: sophie@thedrinksbusiness.com

Or visit theglobalmasters.co.uk to find out more about the competition series.