Cabernet Sauvignon is most often seen in full-bodied red wines, especially the famous clarets of Bordeaux. But in France, as here, it is also often used to make a lighter style of wine with a charming pink colour.

There are two ways to make rose – the right way and anything else! Saignee or bleeding is a practice where dilute, over-cropped red grapes have some of their juice drained (bled) off at the start of the fermentation to increase the concentration of the main wine. In this case the rose is an afterthought, a by-product of an already flawed process. As I was told by a top Bordeaux winemaker – saignee is a bad way to make both wines! So, ‘proper’ rose is made by macerating red grapes for a short period before pressing and fermenting the pink juice. This is, of course, what we do!

Perfect with any number of dishes where either a white or a red would do, but wouldn’t be appropriate. If the food is too full-flavoured for a Riesling, and a Chardonnay would be too heavy, then try a Rose. Something like roast pork or still-pink lamb cutlets and it is too hot for a red – rose to the rescue once again!