Best known in Beaujolais, Gamay also excels in the Loire, lending juicy strawberry notes, while Cabernet Franc is more raspberry and leafy. After a gentle crushing, the juice was drawn off the skins to ensure a pale pink hue and cool fermented to retain lovely summer berry notes.

Aquarius is one of the great wines made by the McPherson clan. You may know the name – they are the incredible team behind our bestselling The Full Fifteen. There’s no end to the talents of Chief Winemaker Jo Nash who has a long list of accolades to her name and crafts this excellent rosé too. It’s dominated by Shiraz, with supporting roles from Sangiovese and Petit Verdot – all carefully selected from Central Victoria.

The juice is quickly run off the grape skins to obtain a good kick of pink, then cool fermented for the perfect balance of freshness and fruit-filled flavour. Bright, zestful and dry with aromas of raspberries, strawberries and a touch of white pepper spice. Chill down well, sip solo, or pair with a quiche or Thai curry.

Sip with a cheese plate and dried fruits after Christmas lunch – a beautiful pairing.

The cellar itself was founded in 1964 and was key to the area gaining its DO status in 1984.

Today, with the grapes from 150 small-time growers, bent on producing high quality grapes from their small, mountainous plots (the area is very close to the Pyrenees), the winery produces a small range of bright, modern wines.

Their rosado is a blend of Cabernet and Merlot, harvested at night, when it's coolest, and fermented at a low temperature to capture maximum mouthwateringly fresh, ripe berry fruit.

Chill it down and serve – great with chicken, prawn risotto, salads.

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.

Roche Bellemont is one to savour. It’s handcrafted using the pick of the vintage – Grenache and Syrah, plus a little Mourvèdre and Vermentino, from the oldest vines. You’ll find this pink’s subtle berry fruit is complemented by complex, creamy savoury hints, a lift of lavender and wild herbs with underlying brisk minerality. Such elegance and finesse, as you’d expect from a ‘tête de cuvée’! Superb with seafood rice.

We’ve long been champions of the great wines from Jaime Quendera, as he weaves his magic in various cellars in southern Portugal. Here he’s worked with the team at the renowned Co-operative Pegões, listed as the ‘best co-op in Portugal’ a few years back. Sourcing the grapes from the Setúbal Peninsula, he’s blended top native varieties Castelão, Aragonez and Touriga Nacional.

This popular blend of local grapes makes an expressive, fresh, and fruity rosé. As Jaime says about the ideal conditions of the region and its fabulous grapes, "wines from the Setúbal – lucky us, lucky you". Enjoy this lively pink well chilled, to best taste the burst of crisp summer berries that cascade from the glass. Sip solo or with a light seafood platter.