Provence is synonymous with lavender fields, sunshine and delicate pink rosés many regard as the best in the world. Since the influx of millionaires and movie stars in recent decades, it’s also become one of the pricier regions of France. Yet, happily, we can still enjoy the trappings of the Côte d’Azur lifestyle with wines like Domaine Pontfract. It comes from a 20 hectare estate with chalky, stony soil and sunshine all summer long.

The prime ingredients of Provence rosé, Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan, love these conditions. Winemaker Marie Alejandro gives the grapes a gentle pressing to extract a delicate colour and delightful, strawberry scented aromas. Enjoy this pink on its own, or with olive tapenade or a fresh seafood platter.

The Luis Felipe Edwards family estate lies in the premium Colchagua Valley within Rapel. Luis Felipe Edwards Snr started his wine estate in 1976, beginning with a small plot of land and slowly buying up more vineyards. Today he owns an entire valley and a thoroughly modern, fully equipped cellar. He really has spared no expense over the years (even installing chandeliers in the barrel cellar), but has always kept that quality focused, family run touch to the wines.

Every year they make us a bestselling Sauvignon and in 2018 they wowed us with a vibrant rosé. This crisp, moreish rosado, made by Nicolas Bizzarri, is brimful with ripe berry fruit and citrus zip. Great on its own or with creamy seafood pancakes, spicy stir fry and salads.

El Bombero red regularly sits in our customer’s Top 10, so we are excited to present its new sibling - a vibrant, fruity rosado. It comes from Cariñena, a hot, arid region of Spain where sun-loving grapes like Garnacha thrive. Along with big reds, the region produces bright, bold pinks. With just a few hours of contact between the grape juice and skins, the rosés catch the bright berry notes and a light hue.

El Bombero rosado is a wonderful example of a new wave of Garnacha rosés. It lies between Spain’s traditional fruity, medium-bodied rosés and the pale, light-bodied Provençal style. Showing great fruit finesse, it’s ideal to sip on its own, while its roundness makes it a great food wine as well – especially with a tasty paella.

If you’re a long-standing customer, the chances are you’ll have come across Scipione Giuliani’s ‘poppy wines’. About 20 years ago, Scipi blew critics away with his original Il Papavero – a humble ‘vino da tavola’ that offered near boundless drinking pleasure and astonishing value for money. Since then, he’s expanded the range, with every new release always offering the discerning drinker plenty of flavour for the money. And this mouthwatering rosé continues that trend.

It’s crafted from Nero d’Avola, a southern Italian variety that’s normally used to make big, juicy reds. Scipi sourced his Nero in vineyards planted on slopes overlooking the sea, where cooling breezes contributed to this wine’s irresistible freshness. The perfect aperitif.

Provence’s rosés have long been popular with the many tourists who flock to the region every year. Yet they offer much more than a holiday tipple. They can have real elegance and complex fruit, too. Perhaps that shouldn’t be surprising as Provence has an ideal climate for this refreshing style, with twice as much sunshine as London – yet relatively moderate temperatures even in the height of summer.

This delightful pink is from the Bréban family’s small domaine in the Côte d’Azur. Their vineyards are surrounded by wooded hillsides and have a south facing aspect with excellent, well drained soils to help fruit concentration. Rounded with savoury, subtle fruitiness, it’s spot on with poached salmon, salt and pepper squid or a spicy stir-fry.