The sun is shining, you can hear a distant humming of lawnmowers and can smell the factor 50. A loved one asks if you wish a glass of pale rosé...
The rare occasion that the sun is shining in Scotland results in people flocking to the shops to buy a BBQ, a paddling pool and a bottle of wine. What wine you choose depends on preference, price and product. What wines do you like? What is available at your local Aldi or Waitrose? What influences these decisions?
If you look on Instagram on any given sunny day how many post showcasing a pale pink glass of 'Whispering Angel' Rosé will you see? Whether its the angels or marketing team whispering, this bottle is a staple on any Instagram 'bloggers' account. This is not a negative thing, being the 'it' bottle among millennials allows for many to enjoy a classic pale Côte de Provence Rosé by confidently marching up the wine isle, not being intimidated by whether or not they are making the right purchase. However, if not seamlessly introduced to the U.S market by adding onto wine lists at hot spots such as the Beverly Hills hotel or Soho House, and if not Khloe Kardashian or Lorna Luxe's favourite wine, would it have the same hype?
If not seamlessly introduced to the U.S market by adding onto wine lists at hot spots such as the Beverly Hills hotel or Soho House, and if not Khloe Kardashian or Lorna Luxe's favourite wine, would it have the same hype?
Photo Creds: Decanter.com
Whispering Angel dominated the U.S market after Château d'Esclans's 2007 overseas introductory campaign was showcased among high society in the Hamptons, creating the persona of prestige and exclusivity.
Having a 4.1 star rating on Vivino (my favourite wine app) and averaging at £18.99 a bottle, choosing to be on trend can result in a hole in your wallet! Whether this is due to quality, image or the current demand is for you to decide... Although a great wine, if you wish to still enjoy a pale rosé on a sunny day why not peruse the isle slightly longer and see what gems you can find?
On this day in May, I debated the rosé section of my local Waitrose. As expected I was surrounded by many reaching for their Whispering Angel. The difficulty in choosing a 'Old World Wine' (primarily wine made in Europe) is that the grape variety is not usually shown on the bottle. Rosé wine is predominatly made using red grapes, so if you don't like Syrah/ Shiraz or Grenache/ Granacha why would you choose a rosé made from these grapes? An understanding of what you do and don't like can only be determined by lots of tastings, each winemaker makes diffrently... so get drinking!
After debating the bottles, I settled on purchasing a £10.75 'Maison Castel' Côte de Provence Rosé. Although made from different grapes, the characteristics mirror those in a glass of Whispering Angel. Both are a 2.5 out of 5 on the light-bold scale, both are a 1.5 on the dry-sweet scale and both are a 4 on the soft-acidic scale. Redfruit characteristics including strawberry, raspberry and cherries are noted on both however Whispering Angel also has hints of watermelon on the nose. Underlying notes of peach, melon and soft citrus including pink grapefruit have been picked up on each. Try both and please let me know what you think!
Personally, after sloshing into a cool glass and enjoying whilst sunbathing and having a light lunch with my family, it was the perfect wine for a perfect Sunday afternoon in May.
-Antonia
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