Look, nobody needs a rose wine collection, sorry, rosé wine collection. But then again, nobody needs dessert, and we're not giving that up either. If you're here, you already know that rosé deserves more than a passing glance. Wine curious? Grenache obsessed? This is your guide to everything pink, one glass of strawberries at a time.
A Brief History of Pink
You might be surprised to learn that wine historians trace light-coloured wines similar to modern rosé back to ancient Greece and Rome. Provence, the region most associated with rosé wine, has been producing it since antiquity, and its dry, elegant style still sets the benchmark for what rosé wine can be. Whispering Angel from Château d'Esclans is probably the bottle most people picture when they think Provence rosé: citrus-forward and endlessly refreshing.
But the real shift happened in the early 2000s, when rosé left the picnic blanket behind and landed on Michelin-starred wine lists. South Africa caught on quickly. Stellenbosch and Swartland producers started crafting rosés from their own vines, with a vibrant personality to match, and the results have been turning heads ever since. In January 2025, rosé was officially added to South Africa's inflation basket, which tells you everything about how seriously this country takes its pink wine.
Three Ways to Make a Wine Blush
Here's a question that catches people out: how does rosé actually get made? It's not as simple as pouring red into white and crossing your fingers (though that is technically one method). There are three production techniques, and each one shapes what ends up in your glass.
- Maceration (the classic): Red grapes like Grenache, Cinsault, or Syrah sit with their skins for a few hours, just long enough for the juice to pick up colour. The winemaker then presses the juice and ferments it like a white wine. Traditional in Provence and widely used by South African producers, this method tends to produce dry, fruit-forward rosés with fresh red berries on the nose and a bright, crisp finish. Expect hints of strawberries and cherries on the palate.
- Direct pressing (the gentle route): The red grapes are pressed almost immediately, with barely any skin contact. The result is paler, more delicate on the nose, and often beautiful in its elegance. You'll find this method behind some of the lightest, most refined South African rosés, ideal for anyone who enjoys a softer palate.
- Blending (the sparkling standard): A small amount of red wine is mixed into white to achieve that pink hue. It's the go-to for rosé Champagne (sometimes with Chardonnay in the blend), though many still-wine appellations prefer skin-contact methods. Some mass-market rosés also use blending for consistent colour control.
Each technique produces a different structure in the glass. Knowing which method crafted your bottle helps you understand why one rosé tastes of ripe cherries while another leans towards stone fruit with hints of peach.
Finding Your Pink Personality
Rosé covers a wide spectrum, and there's a rosé wine style for every palate. A dry style has little to no residual sugar, giving you that clean, mouth-watering finish with flavours of grapefruit and stone fruit. These are the bottles that pair effortlessly with a sushi platter or a fresh salad on the patio.
Off-dry rosés bring a touch more sweetness, often with hints of strawberries and passion fruit. They're not quite sweet enough to call a dessert wine, but fruity enough to enjoy on their own without a meal. Chenin Blanc-based blends from the Western Cape are particularly good at this, offering a refreshing sip without tipping into sugary territory.
Climate and harvest timing play a big part in quality. In South Africa, grapes destined for rosé wine are often picked early to preserve freshness and keep alcohol levels in check. Cooler vineyards in places like Elgin deliver bright acidity, while Swartland's warmth creates richer, fuller flavours with lingering red berry notes. South African rosé is now sold in restaurants and wine shops across the country, and the variety of styles and terroirs available is what makes exploring them so rewarding.
Not Just a Summer Rosé
Here's the thing about rosé wine: it doesn't have an off-season. A chilled glass of something crisp is as welcome alongside a winter seafood pasta as it is with a summer salad. That versatility is what makes rosé the ideal choice for people who don't want to choose between reds and whites.
Picture this: a chilled glass and a seafood platter you didn't cook yourself. That's rosé at its most obvious. But it's just as good when the temperature drops. A fuller-bodied Syrah rosé can stand up to a slow-roasted lamb, and a mineral-driven bottle alongside a bowl of smoked salmon pasta makes for a beautiful winter meal. Light salads in February, heartier dishes in July, rosé adapts.
Serve your rosé chilled to around 10–12°C. Too cold and you'll mute the aromas. Too warm and it loses its freshness. A wide glass helps open up those subtle notes of peach on the nose, and lets the colour catch the light.
Rosé Styles from Around the World
Provence remains the benchmark for rosé wine, pale and bone-dry, the way rosé was always meant to look. Château de Pibarnon, often called the "Petrus of Bandol," is a stunning example and one you'll find in our range. Bordeaux brings its own take, too. Clos Cantenac's L'Exuberance Rosé is mineral-driven and crafted with real precision. Spain's Valenciso Rioja Rosé delivers bold cherry flavours with structure. And for something with bubbles, Champagne Lanson's Le Rosé is hard to beat.
South African rosé tends to be slightly bolder in character. Think structured Grenache rosés alongside vibrant Pinotage-Chenin Blanc blends, each offering something different on the palate. Colmant's Cap Classique Brut Rosé out of Franschhoek is a local favourite that holds its own against anything sparkling. It's the kind of quality you'd expect from a producer at the heart of South Africa's Cap Classique scene, and proof that South African rosé wine belongs on any serious wine lover's radar.
That's the fun of building a rosé wine collection. Every bottle tells a different story, and the only way to find your new favourite is to keep tasting.
We'll Leave This Here
You know that warm feeling when you find a bottle you genuinely love? That slight flush, the second pour you didn't plan on, the cheeks going a little rosey? That's what we're here for. Explore the selection at Great Domaines, find your perfect bottle, add it to your cart, and let us handle the rest. Or contact us if you'd like a personal recommendation. We promise not to judge the quantity.