Other Sparkling Rosé

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Winner Details

2015: Gold 4 Silver 7 Bronze 4 Commended 9
2014: Gold 3 Silver 8 Bronze 6 Commended 5

Last year, non-champagne rosés outperformed their better-known French counterparts. And despite an improved performance for pink champagne in 2015, the same happened again this year. Essentially, continental fizz and the odd New World offering came in at the cheaper end, with English rosé taking charge from £16 upwards. There were, naturally, a few reservations about how easy it is to sell non-champagne sparklers, but with average prices half those from north-east France, this was a hugely popular category with our tasters.

FOOTNOTE: Includes all sparkling rosés other than champagne and those that are frizzante, semi-sweet or have a lower abv.

From the Tasting Teams

‘There were some very good examples here to put on by the glass. I’m looking for light, elegant styles, with a blend of refreshing acidity and beautiful fruit, as an aperitif, with a richer, fuller-bodied style to compliment this.’ Andrea Fasan, La Petite Maison

‘Sometimes people need guiding to these wines, so the quality has to be good once they get there.’ Gus Gluck, Vinoteca King’s Cross

‘Some really stood out for the quality at the price, especially when compared with the prices for champagne. Non-champagne sparkling can be a hard sell, but if you flag up the quality, hand sell and put the wines on by the glass you will build a following.’ James Hocking, The Vineyard Group

‘Everyone orders champagne as an aperitif, but to be able to offer a sparkling wine with the meal is a bit more innovative.’ Debbie Smith, 21212

‘The medal winners were excellent wines, and most of them were at a very good price as well. With food, we could be talking fish carpaccios, or even richer dishes.’ Vittorio Gentile, Theo Randall at The InterContinental Hotel

‘The wines which scored highly here were typically the cheaper ones. When we got to the pricier wines, they didn’t always justify those high prices.’ Robert Tozser, The Rib Room

Award winners

Found 24 wines

Sparkling: Rosé, excluding Champagne

Jansz Tasmania, Premium Rosé NV, Tasmania, Australia

A more serious, mature, evolved style took Jansz to the top.

'Ripe, plump and toasty,' noted team leader Simon Woods, adding: 'Slightly plummy peach and raspberry fruit.'
'Creamy feel with decent balance,' said The Vineyard Group's James Hocking, while team leader Annette Scarfe MW felt there was a wide range of food possibilities, from whitebait to cured meats and fried tapas.

£11.84 Negociants

Bluebell Vineyard Estates, Hindleap, Brut Rosé 2010, East Sussex, England

Complexity and depth were the watchwords for Bluebell's rosé. ‘Onion skin colour with good mousse,’ said team leader Richard Bampfield MW, continuing: ‘Fine, mature aromas with a note of barley sugar. Mature, well balanced and interesting.’ Tantalising food options include everything from Parmesan halibut and pheasant breast to asparagus or hard cheese.

£22.07 Amathus, Ellis of Richmond

Winery Exchange, Blushmore, Sparkling Rosé NV, Puglia, Italy

Great value and much versatility gave Blushmore its Gold. Whether it's in the aperitif mode alongside canapés or accompanying a summer fruit dessert, 'This will be a popular style,' said team leader Richard Bampfield MW. ‘Pretty pink colour with plenty of mousse and a gentle pear nose, this is off-dry, fruity and clean.'
'With its delicate floral notes and well-incorporated, refreshing acidity, this would be good By The Glass,' said Robert Tozser of The Rib Room.

£6.66 Majestic Commercial

Ridgeview, Victoria Rosé 2010, Sussex, England

‘Smells serious,’ began Gus Gluck of Vinoteca King's Cross, and he wasn't wrong. ‘Has real intensity to it, it's vibrant and full, with proper bubbles and a touch of tannin. Very nice,’ he concluded. ‘Intense, with ageing potential,’ added Jonathan Kleeman of The Ritz Hotel, while team leader Annette Scarfe MW noted sweet bitter cherry notes, spice and cloves, and suggested salty seafood and pastry-baked entrées as desirable food matches.

£22.19 Enotria&Coe

Henners, Brut Rosé NV, East Sussex, England

'Good balance of fruit and acidity,' began James Hocking of The Vineyard Group, continuing: 'Well-made, creamy, full-bodied wine with a great finish.'
'Ripe, with generous sweet strawberry,' added team leader Simon Woods.

£21.07 Boutinot

Redfold Vineyards, Ambriel, English Rosé NV, West Sussex, England

Attractive pale salmon in colour, with a good nervy freshness, toast and yeasty aromas, beeswax, hazelnuts and a lick of redcurrant fruit, this is a versatile rosé sparkler.

'Fantastic value for money, too, with its evolved, oxidative style,' said team leader Annette Scarfe MW.

£16.00 Redfold Vineyards LLP

Fratelli Muratori, Villa Crespia, Brolese, Franciacorta Extra Brut Rosé NV, Lombardy, Italy

Consultant Deborah-Lynn Morris found this wine 'easy to drink', highlighting its 'soft mousse, dry, complex finish, good body and balance'.

'Lovely finish, classy wine,' added James Hocking of The Vineyard Group, while Michael Moore of Room 24 said: 'A spring winner. Great with a honey-baked goats' cheese.'

£17.65 Bancroft Wines

Camel Valley, Pinot Noir Brut Rosé 2012, England, England

'Toasty raspberry and strawberry flavours predominate in a clean, fresh wine with a lovely finish,' said a satisfied James Hocking of The Vineyard Group.

'Big and ripe, with notes of sweet mandarin orange,' added team leader Simon Woods.

£24.25 Matthew Clark

Compagnie Francaise des Grands Vins, Veuve Amiot, Crémant de Loire Rosé NV, Loire, France

‘Fresh and dry, with nicely balanced acidity, a pleasant aperitif or an easy match with simple salads, and at a decent price,’ commented Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering, while Debbie Smith of 21212 thought seared tuna was the perfect match.

£8.63 Compagnie Francaise des Grands Vins

Hush Heath Estate, Balfour, Brut Rosé 2010, Kent, England

‘Attractive initial aromas, pleasant and balanced, this is versatile enough for a variety of foods,' said Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering.

'There's a lovely creamy complexity, with fine toasty notes,' said team leader Annette Scarfe MW.

'Excellent!'

£28.58 Bibendum

La Vida al Camp, Cava Rosé Reserva NV, Catalonia, Spain

‘Very pale, onion skin colour, with a hint of sour cream and garrigue herbs on the nose,’ said Gus Gluck of Vinoteca King's Cross, concluding: ‘Nice, steely and dry.’ ‘Subtle, delicate, fresh flowers with stone fruit,’ added team leader Olivier Marie.

£10.50 Boutinot

Coldharbour, South Downs Rosé 2011, West Sussex, England

‘Creamy entry, with citrus and orange blossom on a complex nose,’ said Andrea Fasan of La Petite Maison, adding: ‘Great attack, same as nose. Unusual but lasting on the palate. Gourmet.’

£16.50 Wiston Estate Winery

Hush Heath Estate, Balfour 1503, Dry Rosé NV, Kent, England

‘Good depth of pink salmon colour, with nice mousse,’ began team leader Olivier Marie: ‘Palate is clean, high dosage, but ripe and fleshy. Opulent.’ ‘Proper pink fizz,’ added Gus Gluck of Vinoteca King's Cross.

£19.59 Bibendum

Distell, Pongrácz, Rosé NV, Western Cape, South Africa

With its 'light mousse and clean finish', team leader Simon Woods felt this was a 'good honest wine. Nice gentle apple with grippy citrus, this has a touch of perfume and a floral edge.'

£11.35 Matthew Clark

Court Garden, Brut Rosé 2011, Sussex, England

‘Lively, fruity strawberry, well balanced and appealing; develops well in the mouth,' said Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering. ‘Pure red berries, citrus, complex fruit, long, persistent and classy,’ added Andrea Fasan of La Petite Maison.

£21.50 Court Garden

Winner Details