Cult wine, icon wine, celebrity wine: what does it all mean? The first two will mean something to the wine trade and to wine enthusiasts and the third means something to everyone else. Being the wine hussy that I am makes me open my wallet and my mouth at the sheer mention of either or all of these über wines and yet rarely, very rarely will cult, icon or celebrity be used to describe a rosé…
Despite rosés popularity there’s an invisible glass ceiling when it comes to the status or price of a bottle. Those who are willing to spend much more on a red, white or sparkling will hold back when it comes to pink. It’s a phenomenon I’m guilty of practicing myself and yet I’m not too sure why. That was until a trip to the Harvey Nichols wine shop presented me with the opportunity to buy a bottle of Provence rosé Château Miraval by Brangelina. Could a rosé by any other name smell so sweet? Or cost so much? Or arguably get away with costing so much?! £22.00 later and it was mine. A subtle name check on the back label told me it was ‘theirs’ but gave nothing else away. Could the grapes in the bottle be protected by a similar shroud of secrecy that surrounds most A-listers?
Research suggests it’s organic and made of Cinsault and Grenache grapes which are both pretty chunky and wintery when it comes to red wines but as a rosé this one shows us they can also be elegant, understated, charming and summery. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Could I justify the expense, probably not. But a £22.00 bottle of rosé for drinking at home feels like an indulgent luxury to me, and luxury triggers joy, so pass me another glass.
