10 May 2024
Great British Rosé Week returns for a fourth year and is dedicated to promoting the excellence of English vineyards and wine producers. Founded in 2021, by Archie Patel (@wineawaytheday) and Allie Cope (@englishvineyards) this week long event aims to raise awareness of English Rosé wines and showcase the craftmanship and innovation of the UK wine industry.
Catching up with Archie last week, I was keen to find out where this idea came from.
“We started the Great British Rosé Week campaign four years ago as we are hugely passionate about English wine and believe that the UK produces beautifully diverse and very good quality rosé.
“We wanted to do this tasting to showcase some great examples of English rosé and the different wines areas in England that we love, whilst highlighting that English rosé is just as good as, if not better than your Provençal pink!”
I first met Archie and Allie at the launch event of Folc Rose wine, so it felt fitting to start this week’s recommendations with the newly launched 2023 vintage…
Folc Rosé 2023 (£21.99 from drinkfolc.com and Cellar Door Wines)
Beginning in 2019, Folc is the brainchild of Alisha and Tom, who set out to put English rosé on the map with a rosé that was dry, fresh and undeniably delicious. Their blend and bottle have seen some changes over the years, all contributing to a more modern and luxurious rosé.
The combination of seven grape varieties; all contribute unique characteristics and different flavours that blend perfectly together to make the finished wine. The Pinot family forms the body of our wine – a beautiful blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Précoce sourced from Kent and Suffolk, complemented with organically farmed Pinot Gris from Suffolk. The Pinots are combined with Chardonnay, sourced from south-facing vineyards on chalk soil in the North Downs of Kent, alongside intense and aromatic Bacchus from the Kentish Weald, and finally finished with characterful Ortega from Suffolk.
The resulting wine is crisp, refreshing acidity with the fullness of cranberries and strawberries and a floral finish. The pairing for this wine is simply ‘good company’.
South Ridge Cuvee Merret Rose 2019 (£21.99 from Laithwaites)
This classy, elegant pink fizz commemorates Englishman Christopher Merret, whose paper to the Royal Society in 1662 documented the process of making sparkling wines, predating Champagne by 30 years. Made by the same family (the Roberts Family) who are responsible for the award-winning wines at Ridgeview Wine Estate.
Delicate, fresh, fruity, and complex. It features light red berry aromas accompanied by hints of toasted brioche. With a soft creamy mousse, it’s perfect for enjoying solo or pairing with canapés or summer berry fruits.
Wyfold Vineyard Rose 2018 (£35 from Laithwaites)
In 2003 Barbara Laithwaite planted 4,000 vines on a hectare of the Chiltern Hills. The first release, 10 years later, was immediately voted ‘Top English Sparkling’, triumphing at the same time over well-known Champagnes. Other great awards have followed, including last year’s Best English Sparkling Rosé from the world’s leading competition, IWC. It’s crafted to capture classic biscuity notes along with brisk minerality, reflecting the cool microclimate of this 100m-altitude site. There’s lovely berry ripeness, complexity and crisp minerality.
The English rose industry is gaining international recognition for its exceptional quality and unique terroir, so if you haven’t tried it yet, Great British Rosé Week invites you to take part and join in the celebrations.
#GreatBritishRoséWeek #GBRW
