Wines of the week: Eight subtle and sophisticated Provence roses you should be drinking now

The annual celebration of cycling and all things French kicks off today in the form of the Tour de France (in Belgium, as it happens, but that’s another story), so for the next three weeks we are off on our own tour of some of the winemaking regions of our closest neighbours.

But firstly to the other end of France and Provence, a long way from this tour’s early days, but home to its most notorious stage – the steep climb of Mont Ventoux where British cyclist Tommy Simpson died in 1967.

Provencal reds and whites have never had a massive reputation in the UK, but in recent years the growth and reputation of the region’s roses has been exponential. Some ancient producers’ wines are still widely available, such as the excellent Chateau d’Esclans Whispering Angel, the product of a Provencal estate taken over by Sacha Lichine, from a great Bordeaux family.

The estate pioneered a very pale, very dry style with elegantly sculptured bottles and gorgeous labels, which has become the house norm for the region: a subtle, sophisticated wine made for summer special occasions and fine foods like lobster and crab, rather than glugging from tumblers in the garden or on picnics.

But the great plus points of rose remain in either case: always easily accessible and both aperitif and all-food friendly, particularly seafood and tomato-based Mediterranean dishes, but also sushi and lightly spiced Asian fare. Basically the only rule is that it needs to be served ice cold.

The Whispering Angel approach was clearly taken on board by those advising Hollywood megastars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie when they handed over management to the renowned Perrins winemaking family from the Rhone. The couple are now of course divorced, but Perrins still runs the estate for them both and continues to produce sensational wines each year, with the Miraval Rose 2018 (£19.99 or £17.99 if bought as part of a mix six-bottle purchase, majestic.co.uk; £19.95 bbr.com; various independents) as well as a new, slightly more affordable version, Studio by Miraval (£12.00 Coop stores); both wines being precisely made, from a combination of the classic rose grapes cinsault, syrah, grenache and rolle, with tibouren replacing syrah in the latter. Lovely layers of red-berry fruits, some hints of tangerine, citrus and herbs.

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Such wines have spawned a host of imitators: a similar elegance and an even more eye-catching bottle is displayed in the Chateau de l’Aumerade Rose Cuvee Marie Christine 2018 (£13.12 corkingwines.com), from yet another ancient estate, which has hints of grapefruit and spice in the mix and really fulsome flavours on the palate.

Majestic also has the equally enticing, cherry-and-pomegranate scented Chateau de Berne Rose 2018 (£14.99 or £12.99 if bought as part of a mixed six-bottle purchase; majestic.com).

Marks and Spencer also has its own pitch into this market, the quite intense, spicy, grenache and syrah blend Cotes de Provence Saint Victoire 2018 (£12.00 marksandspencer.com), from the Mount Victoire region.

So far, all so upmarket. But where can we can find similar elegance and style at slightly more affordable prices? Marks’ selection also includes the refreshing Coteaux Varois En Provence (£9.00 marksandspencer.com) from the Var region, with a little mourvedre and carignan in the usual mix and a helpful screw-top which makes it ideal for picnics.

Most Provencal roses are, as we have seen, blends of several grapes, but one of the few single-grape wines is the Cotes de Provence Rose L’Echappée Belle, Mas de Cadenet 2018 (£10.59 thewinesociety.com), made from the cinsault grape, a very pure and direct hit of fruit and a backbone of spice. Again a very helpful screw-top. And it certainly demonstrates that fancy bottles and celebrity associations are not always needed to produce excellent wines.