Rose wine is made by crushing red-skinned grapes and leaving the juice in contact with the skins for a few hours. The longer the time in contact with the skins, the deeper the colour. The juice is then removed from the skins and fermented. Rosé wine is not usually fermented or matured in oak barrels. The aim is fresh, fruity flavours.

Rosé wine can be either sweet or dry, but most of the popular styles in the UK - especially those from Provence or other Mediterranean regions - are dry, crisp, and elegant. If you prefer something sweeter, look for styles labelled as White Zinfandel or Blush.

Rosé is one of the most food-friendly wines around. Dry rosé pairs brilliantly with grilled fish, salads, charcuterie, and Mediterranean dishes. Fruiter styles work well with spicy food, while richer rosés can handle roasted vegetables, pasta, and even light meats like chicken or pork.

Not at all! While it’s undeniably refreshing in the sunshine, rosé can be enjoyed all year round. Try a deeper-coloured rosé with roast chicken in autumn or a sparkling rosé with festive canapés in winter. Its versatility makes it perfect for any season.

Provence rosé, from the South of France, is considered the benchmark for dry rosé. It’s typically pale in colour with delicate notes of citrus, herbs, and red berries. Other rosés, like Spanish rosado or Californian rosé, may be darker, fruitier, or even slightly sweet. It all comes down to grape variety, region, and winemaking style.

Rosé wines generally range from 11% to 13.5% ABV, so they tend to be similar in strength to white wines - and slightly lower than many reds. That said, alcohol levels vary by producer and style, so always check the label if you’re after a lighter option.

There are lots of fantastic rosés under £15! A few of our go-to favourites include crisp Estandon Le Rollier,zesty Calusari Rose, and juicy Domaine Gayda, Flying Solo Rose

If you're not planning on using a full bottle, you can keep a sealed bottle of rose wine in the fridge for 3-5 days depending on the wine. The more oxygen the wine is exposed to, the faster the wine will oxidise. When this happens, the fruit flavours fade and the wine starts to taste bitter and acidic.

If unopened, Rose wine is generally not suitable for ageing and should be enjoyed within 1 year of purchase.

Calories in wine are a combination of the amount of alcohol, the amount of carbohydrates (which is wine will be present as residual sugars) and the serving volume. A 175ml glass of a dry 12% abv wine will contain fewer calories than the same serving of a 14% dry wine.

Drinkaware.co.uk offer the following guidance:

It’s easy to see how much alcohol is in any rosé wine - just look out for the Alcohol by Volume (ABV) which you’ll find on the label.

The ABV tells you what percentage of the rosé wine is alcohol. The higher the ABV, the more alcohol is in the drink and the stronger it is - for example, a 13% ABV rosé wine contains 13% pure alcohol.

A typical-strength medium (175ml) glass of rosé wine has around 2.3 units of alcohol.

• There are up to 138 calories in a typical 175ml glass of rosé wine
• There are up to 197 calories in a typical 250ml glass of rosé wine
• There are up to 591 calories in a typical 750ml bottle of rosé wine

Always drink responsibly.