Why it should be no way rosé

Wine exists in three colours: red, white and pink. There are many great red wines; there are some great white wines; there are no great pink wines. In wine terms, pink is an outcast, destined to languish in oblivion all winter, then creep out sheepishly once summer comes, get tossed back in moments of high frivolity and barometric pressure, and have its name comprehensively forgotten thereafter.

Indeed, only half the human race seems to have time for it, even then. "Girls like ros?," a woman friend tells me decisively. "'Cos it's pink. We like pink wine; it's such a happy colour. It's very drinkable. If it's a bit on the sweet side, it's quite nice. It's a bit of a ritual with my girlie friends." Men, by contrast, tend to regard pink wine as beneath their dignity. Personally, I blame baby clothes.

The reason why there are no great pink wines is quite simple. Great wine only comes from great vineyards. No one with a great vineyard in their trust will ever make pink wine from it, because it is terminally frolicsome. It may be that Ch?teau Margaux has the potential to make a far greater ros? than any pink wine which exists at present. If Ch?teau Margaux did launch a pink, it would command, at best, a quarter of the price of its red, and be greeted with universal tittering. They could afford the loss of income, but not the tittering. We will never know.

The only exception to this rule is pink Champagne, which may well be blended from the base wines of the some of the best vineyards in the region, and which can be superb (Billecart-Salmon Ros? from Oddbins at £29.99 or Berry Bros at ? 29.50, Pol Roger 1990 Ros? from the Wine Society at £39, or Krug Ros? from Justerini & Brooks at £105 would all prove the point more or less extravagantly). Most ros? Champagnes, though, including these three, are made by blending a little red wine with a lot of white wine, and the truth is that this gives you a wine which, colour aside, is not wildly different from the white original. It just has a firmer structure and a slightly different repertoire of fruit hints.

Most true ros? wines are made by soaking the skins of a crop of red-wine grapes for a very short time, then fermenting the result. This is why, traditionally, ros? wines have filled the function of white wines in regions which preponderantly produce reds (like the Rh^TMne Valley, Provence or much of Spain). This technique should give you the classic ros? flavours of vivid fresh fruit combined with a light, tannin-free texture and white-wine acidity, and it was what I was looking for when I set about tasting all the ros?s I could get my hands on recently.

Pick of the bunch

2000 Santa Julia Syrah Rosé, Argentina (Somerfield £3.29 until 18 July, then £3.99).
Santa Julia's quiet, shy Rodolfo Montenegro is one of the most talented makers of inexpensive wines in the world, and his Syrah Rosé is perfect: deep pink, plenty of enticing plum scents, a vividly fruity, deep, pungently curranty flavour and exquisitely judged balance. At this promo price, a real coup for Somerfield. Lay in a case: 21/25.

1998 Tavel Rosé, Domaine de la Mordorée (Lea and Sandeman, 020 7244 0522, £8.95).

Tavel is one of France's few rosé-only appellations; if rosé can ever hit the top notes, it should do it here. This is big, strong stuff (almost 14 per cent), with lots of warm-fruit scents and a powerful, sinewy, chewy flavour of gentle strawberry fruits. It's also fully dry, which means that, unlike most rosés, it goes very well with lots of foods: 20/25.

Best of the rest

1999 Chateau de Sours, Bordeaux Rosé (Majestic, Goedhuis and Co £6.99; Corney and Barrow £7.69; Tanners £7.90).
One of the softest and creamiest versions ever of the celebrated de Sours rosé, less concentrated than usual, but on target for perfumed, ultra-drinkable style: 19/25.

1999 Chateau le Roc, Fronton (Lea and Sandeman £4.95).
A dose of the delicious Toulouse grape variety called Négrette gives this classy oxblood-pink a spicy, peppery quality: 18/25.

1999 Doña Paula Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé, Santa Rita, Chile (Majestic £4.99 or £4.49 if you buy two).
Lots of fresh strawberries here, though this is slightly sweeter than most, thus best for sipping, nattering and frivolising rather than for mealtime use: 16/25.