Regionality and typicity is important in the emerging premium rosé sector. France proved to be the most traditional country, with a dominance of Provence-style rosés. But while Provence dominated the tasting, forming the broad foundation of the Report, few of its wines were awarded the highest scores. 

A noted trend was the aspiration to historic and traditional methods. Spain, especially Rioja DO, was the standout region for both traditional and modern rosé, with two Gran Reservas and two Reservas in the top 20. The criteria and protection offered by the Reserva and Gran Reserva labels encourage producers to distinguish their premium rosés from entry-level, young-drinking wines sold as old stock. A number of older vintages were submitted, with Bodega Classica Hacienda López de Haro Classica Gran Reserva Rosado 2012 not only the oldest wine in the tasting but also the top scorer. A number of wines were too young, especially when the use of new oak was involved, reflecting the current opinion, which still holds sway, that rosé should be drunk within the year. Tavel and Bandol would have done significantly better if they had a Reserva category with older vintages on the market; instead, the wines sampled were far too young and gawky. 

Among the top-scoring rosé wines, those that came from high-elevation plots seemed to be drinking especially well. In fact, eight wines in the Report came from sites between 800-1,000m above sea level, like Dominio del Águila’s Peñas Aladas Clarete at nearly 900m. The advantage of these high sites showed in very ripe fruit balanced by high acidity. An impressive number came from old parcels with local varieties, sometimes co-planted with numerous varieties (Domaine Foivos on the island of Kefalonia counted 47 different grapes).

The wide range of winemaking techniques was the biggest surprise, whether old traditional techniques or a merger of different techniques to create new styles. Compared to modern winemaking used for the majority of rosé wine, producers use more adventurous techniques for premium rosés, from whole bunch carbonic fermentation to ageing in amphora. 

Oaked rosés have been around for as long as oaked reds and whites. French oak, both used and old, from 225l barriques to large old tonneau, was a firm favourite. However, delicate rosés in new oak, even for a short spell, caused far too many  blunt, overly oaked wines. A high percentage of producers use concrete tulips or eggs and the impact of the orange wine revolution was evident, with many using amphora and qvevri such as Johannes Zillinger’s Numen. A large number of wines were biodynamic or natural. 

Finding premium rosés was a challenge. Few appellations are focused on rosé, and many interesting rosés are made outside of the confines of the appellation. But we were pleased to taste through around 550 potentially premium rosés to complete the Rosé Wine Report 2023 – what we believe is a first of its kind and the sort of report that wouldn’t have existed even ten years ago. Wines were tasted blind, many requiring time to open up or decanting. Of the wines tasted, only 50% made it to the final report. Of the wines not included, many were good, but did not achieve our selected criteria for a premium rosé. 

This was not an exhaustive tasting of all premium rosés. There are many more to try. It was, however, an extremely exciting first comprehensive tasting and pointed in the directions where rosé lovers should endeavour to look further.

Tasting notes and scores from Club Oenologique’s Rosé Wine Report 2023 (featuring only those wines scoring 89 points and above) are available to all registered users of The Collection, the online home of our premium wine and spirits content. To register for free, click here.