Magazine

For years, the rosé wine category in Italy was the underdog, considered a marginal genre, almost as if it were a 'non-wine'. In recent years however, global growth of rosés, and in particular still rosés, has allowed Italian wineries to free themselves of the shackles of cultural legacies that did not value the perception and positioning of pink wines. The undeserved victim of prejudices and absurd confusions, rosé is in fact one of the most cross-functional, versatile wines, both for its potential for expression and pairing possibilities.

The spirit of Provence lies in its wealth of culture, its distinctively French lifestyle and its incredibly varied, stunning scenery. Its pale-hued rosés have taken the world by storm but it is also replete with less publicised treasures and singular vineyard sites and wines which have forged a strong identity for the region, and made it a prime location for wine.

Savoy is France’s smallest wine region and has made a name for itself as a fount of zippy white wines, whose light, fresh characters have made them undeniable crowd-pleasers. Altesse and Jacquère are the star performers in the region’s mountain vineyards, and here’s what to expect from them.

Italy, along with Spain and France, dominates the ranking of organic winegrowing countries. Yet not all Italian regions can boast a 'natural' aptitude for organic winegrowing that requires particular soil and weather conditions.

Corsican rosés are among France’s finest unknown treasures to discover. They boast the hallmark features of their outstanding vineyard location and signature aromatics stemming from native grape varieties that are occasionally blended with Syrah and Grenache. They have successfully withstood fierce competition from their Provencal neighbours due to their remarkable quality, which has also stood them in good stead in export markets.

Romania is home to one of the oldest wine growing cultures in Europe, predating ancient Dacia, shaped by the Romans, the monasteries and subsequently influenced by the French. It now has a clear focus on quality and harmonisation with European standards.