Is it okay to drink rosé wine or is it a bit naff?

The quick answer is: yes, of course it is okay. Some wine drinkers are a little snobbish about rosé wines. They may remember the sweetish blush/white Zinfandel from California, or Mateus Rosé, and think all rosé is naff. Or they see it as simple and frivolous, not a serious wine. Then there is the sun problem. Rosé has always been seen as a summer wine, to be enjoyed ice cold by the pool, on the beach, or in a casual French bistro. Nothing wrong with that, but it doesn’t conjure up images of complex wines with depth. And as we don’t get a huge amount of sun in this country it restricts sales for nine months of the year.

But rosé, and Provence rosé in particular, has enjoyed spectacular success over the past 15 years. It started in the US with a wine called Whispering Angel but consumption has since spread worldwide. Provence produced 157 million bottles of rosé in 2022. One of the unique things about Provence rosé is price; the leading brands sell for at least €20, with some as much as €100 a bottle. I suspect that some red and white wine producers are a little envious of this success.

Classic Provence rosé is very pale in colour with light summer fruits, crisp acidity and a dry finish. But plenty of other regions in France and other countries also produce great rosé wines, some at very good prices.

Back to your question. Rosés, from Provence or anywhere else, are ideal casual wines to enjoy with or without food and provide a great match for everything from light nibbles and fish to barbecues and spicy Asian food. And yes, some rosé is fun and some may be frivolous, but what is wrong with that?