The summer’s just about here, and while I’m not one to play to seasonal stereotypes, what I’ve mostly been drinking this month is rosé. There’s something about a lively and considered glass of English rosé, be it still or sparkling, that lifts the spirit, and throughout May I’ve had some real crackers.

On the sparkling side, Coolhurst’s Lady Elizabeth Rosé 2018 (£45.00), which launches tomorrow, is one of the most involving sparkling rosé wines I’ve had so far this year with its deep, ripe red fruit and pastry complexities. The Grange’s Pink NV (£39.00) also demonstrated a lovely richness, countered by brisk, crisp Hampshire acidity. And concluding the sparkling trio is Balfour’s inimitable Brut Rosé 2019 (£55.00), the latest in a long line of brilliant vintages, with crisp red fruit supported by a lightly honeyed note.

The sparkling rosé wines have been flowing too. Albury’s Silent Pool Rosé never disappoints, and the latest 2023 vintage (£19.95) delivers a tangy red berry fusion, with fleshier watermelon notes. Keeping the organic theme going, Oxney’s Rosé 2022 (£23.00) has a slightly creamier, richer edge that complements the superbly ripe red berry flavours. And finally, something of a GBW exclusive: Dalwood Vineyard are soon to release their first Still Rosé 2023 (£15-£18). It’s a blend of Seyval Blanc and Pinot Noir, which combines a racy, almost spritzy freshness with raspberry sorbet and cherry flavours.

So what are you waiting for? Get out in the sun (when it finally arrives), and enjoy a glass or two of our fine home-grown rosé.

Coolhurst Lady Elizabeth Rosé 2018

This is quite possibly one of the most consistently delicious and indulgent English sparkling rosé wines out there. Coolhurst burst onto the scene with the stunning Lady Elizabeth Rosé to critical acclaim back in 2017 with their 2014 vintage, and it’s not let them down since.

Made from the brilliant 2018 vintage, famed for its warm and bountiful fruit, this is 100% Pinot Noir that has spent some four years on lees and was released with 6g/l dosage. The colour is stunning: salmon pink and striking the balance between subtle and expressive.

The nose immediately grabs you with its ripe red summer berries, candied red apple and pastry complexities.

A joy to taste, Lady Elizabeth expresses both restraint in the form of racy acidity and tangy redcurrant up-front, before the summer berry flavours kick in. Charismatically Pinot in character, this cherry-laced beauty continues to richer sourdough and biscuit sophistication. It’s an involving rosé, but it’s still got that refreshing, crisp zing that strikes the perfect balance.

The Grange Pink NV

It’s hard to believe that The Grange is one of the youngest of the established names in Hampshire. In a few short years since the release of their first wines, they have really made a name for themselves, particularly for their sparkling wines.

Take their latest Pink, for example, which is based largely on the colder 2019 vintage and a blend of 57% Pinot Meunier and 38% Pinot Noir, with a seasoning of solera reserve wine. The wine now has 32 months on lees and a generous dosage of 12g/l – though you wouldn’t know! It’s in perfect balance, helped by the fact that more than two-thirds of the wine didn’t go through malolactic fermentation.

The wine’s delicate pink blush is lifted by a perfumed nose of cherry and redcurrant, with a definite floral note and hints of pastry and confectionery.

On the palate, fine beads of bubbles and a chalky lemony bite soften to a mixture of red summer berries and pastry. There’s a real vibrancy to the acidity, but at the same time a ripe red fruit core and hints of cherry shortbread complexity.

Balfour Brut Rosé 2019

The ‘BBR’ 2019 from Balfour has a tough act to try and follow the 2018 vintage, one of England’s best ever on paper, but Fergus Elias and the team in the winery know how to make a great sparkling rosé, and they do year on year.

This brand-new 2019 vintage is a delicate peach skin-hued blend of 51% Pinot Noir, 41% Chardonnay and 8% Pinot Meunier. it has appealing aromas of red apple and red berries with a hint of nectarine.

This is leaner than the generous 2018 vintage that preceded it and has a wonderfully poised and elegant profile. The red fruit is bright and tangy, with the crunch of red apple. There’s also a lovely suggestion of stone fruit and a touch of honeyed fruit that is particular to this wine.

The Balfour Brut Rosé 2019 has got a lovely long finish too that will keep you reaching for another glass.

Albury Silent Pool Rosé 2023

This is a wine that year on year always delivers, from one of the country’s leading 0rganic growers, Albury Organic Estate. The 2023 vintage has just been released, and is a blend of 58% Pinot Noir, 31% Pinot Meunier and 10% Chardonnay.

Consistently appealing in hue, the Albury is already immediately open in the glass, with its nose of strawberry, raspberry and cherry, and I also picked up on some hints of watermelon and citrus.

The palate is red berry focussed, beginning with raspberry and cherry, while the mid-taste maintains that slightly fleshier melon ripeness. The wine ends with cranberry and lemon. This is another crisp and delicious release that is perfect for enjoying in the summer sun.

Oxney Rosé 2022

Another delicious release from Oxney Organic Estate, this 2022 Rosé is another bright and clean expression thanks to the generously ripe vintage. It’s made from 100% Pinot Noir, which, in my eyes, is always a recipe for a delicious rosé.

The wine’s confident hue is embellished by its playful and colourful label, and the aromas match the pink hues with lots of raspberry, cranberry and strawberry characters.

The palate demonstrates the deliciously ripe red fruit, full of cherry and raspberry, supported by grapefruit and cherry bursts. There’s a suggestion of creaminess that adds weight, without taking the wine into full strawberries and cream territory.

Dalwood Still Rosé 2023

This is a brand new and soon-to-be-released wine from Dalwood Vineyard in Axminster, Devon. Building on their still wine blending approach, this debut still rosé release is a considered blend of 70% Seyval Blanc and 30% Pinot Noir.

This is a beautiful and confidently salmon-hued rosé, a wine that grabs your attention with its red berry and citrus aromas, a hint of meadow flowers and red apple.

The palate is juicy and generous, packed full of cranberry and cherry flavours with raspberry sorbet notes, all the while maintaining a crisp citrus backbone. The acidity is lively and lightly spritzy, yet controlled and integrated, while the saline and citrus finish makes it incredibly food-friendly and leaves a lasting impression.

Please note that this is a pre-release review and the visuals/label are not final. The wine is expected to be released in the next month.