As the sun shines down and before the enthusiasm for “sparklers” associated with Wimbledon kicks in, rosé wines are the ones that are flying off the shelves of London stores.

The similarities between “sparkling whites” and rosé wines are firstly that they are light and easy to drink during warm weather, and secondly that, before really comparing, many of us believed that all sparklers and all rosés tasted pretty much the same. But this is far from the case. Champagnes differ substantially from Cava, Prosecco, Cremant and even from each other. Provence rosés differ from those made in other regions, although many are now trying to ape the style. Each of these French brands also differ considerably; Château d’Esclans may be the one for you, or maybe Miraval from the Angelina (and ex-Pitt) estate. Williams Chase is best known for gin but now makes a very popular rosé, and Ott is still, for many, the pinnacle.

If we believe what we read then that glass of rosé is probably bad for you, but there is also evidence that stress is one of the biggest killers, a fact that is widely under-reported in conjunction with discussions on alcohol. Rosé is a wine that embraces conviviality, the joy of being outdoors and friendship. It seems that as the troubles of the world seem only to grow, the sales of rosé follow and this is accentuated threefold when the weather is fair. In a stressful world we all need something to relax with and, in moderation of course, a glass of rosé, whichever one suits your taste, with a friend or two will almost certainly make your day a decidedly better one.

Via Linkedin.