There are podcast episodes where you carefully consider every answer, politely sip the wine and emerge looking like the consummate professional.
This was not one of those episodes.
Somewhere between arriving at the studio and the final clanking of our glasses togeter, Alan and Lee managed to extract a few more stories than I’d originally intended to share. Thanks to a combination of excellent rosé and even better company, the world now knows about Roxanne – a slightly more scandalous teenage alter ego.
By the time filming wrapped, all three of us had migrated from “recording a podcast” to “having a Friday afternoon drink with friends”, which is probably why the episode ended up being one of my favourites to record.
Fortunately, hidden amongst the chaos was a genuine mission.
Like many wine drinkers, the boys admitted they usually default to Provence whenever they order a rosé. It’s hardly surprising. Provence has become the benchmark for modern rosé, and for good reason, but it certainly isn’t the only region capable of producing brilliant pink wine.
So I wanted to take them on a little journey.
We started in Provence to establish the benchmark, then travelled to the Mediterranean island of Corsica before finishing in England. Three rosés. Three different personalities. One very happy podcast studio.
Mirabeau Pure Rosé – The Benchmark
If you’re going to challenge Provence, you first have to understand why it became the benchmark.
Mirabeau Pure is exactly the sort of bottle most people picture when they think of modern rosé. Pale, elegant and effortlessly refreshing, it leans into bright citrus, delicate red berries and the sort of crisp finish that makes you immediately want another sip. It’s understated rather than showy, and that’s precisely its appeal.
I also chose it because, as regular slake readers will know, I’m constantly thinking beyond what’s in the glass. If two wines taste equally delicious, why wouldn’t you choose the one that’s trying to do a little more for the landscape it comes from?
Mirabeau is one of the leaders in this space, having become France’s first Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyard, as well as being B Corp certified, and is working to transition all of its Provence growers to regenerative farming by 2028. It’s also steadily reducing bottle weight, cutting the average across its still wines from 540g in 2022 to just 469g by 2024, with an ambitious target of 420g by 2028.
For me, that’s what modern luxury should look like. Beautiful wine, produced with an eye on the future.
Taste: Citrus, watermelon and a beautifully fresh finish.
Isula Mea Syrah–Sciaccarellu Rosé – The Mediterranean Maverick
If Provence is the polished older sibling, Corsica is the adventurous cousin who spends more time outdoors.
Although the island shares the same Mediterranean sunshine, its mountainous landscape and cooling sea breezes produce wines with an entirely different personality. They retain all the freshness people love in Provence but bring a little more character to the party.
The blend of Syrah and the indigenous Sciaccarellu grape gives this rosé vibrant red fruit, gentle spice and a touch more generosity on the palate, while never losing that refreshing lift that makes Mediterranean rosé so irresistible.
It’s slightly wilder, slightly less polished, a little more expressive – and, for me, that’s exactly its charm.
It also represents excellent value, proving that some of the most exciting rosés are often found just beyond the regions everyone already knows.
Taste: Bright red berries, subtle spice and cooling Mediterranean freshness.
Chapel Down English Rosé – The Cool-Climate Challenger
This was probably the bottle that surprised the boys most.
Like many people, Lee looked at the colour and immediately assumed it would be sweeter than the two we’d just tasted. It’s a common misconception, but colour tells you remarkably little about how fresh a wine will feel.
England’s cool climate allows grapes to retain naturally high acidity, creating rosés that feel bright, energetic and incredibly refreshing. Chapel Down also benefits from the same chalk soils that stretch beneath the English Channel into Champagne, providing excellent drainage and helping produce wines with real precision.
Chapel Down is also a founding member of Sustainable Wines of Great Britain and now sources 100% of its electricity from renewable energy, continuing the theme of producers thinking seriously about their environmental impact.
Taste: Fresh strawberries, redcurrants and crisp, mouthwatering acidity.
The best part? There wasn’t really a loser.
By the end of the recording, the boys had found something to love in all three wines and they were all happily consumed once camera’s stop filming.
If there’s one thing I hope listeners took away from the episode, it’s that Provence is a fantastic place to start your rosé journey, but it doesn’t have to be where it ends.
Want the full chaos? Watch my episode of Bottoms Up on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Just don’t blame me if you learn more about Roxanne than you ever expected.