From pale pink to deep salmon, rosé wines are the heroes of summer sips. This annual roundup highlights the finest rosé wines personally sipped. But first, a quick summary of the pink production.

Rosé wines are produced from a variety of red grapes, with the skins left in contact with the juice for a brief period, which imparts the distinct pink hue. The method of production results in a spectrum of styles, from bone-dry to sweet, catering to a diverse range of preferences. Whether enjoyed as an aperitif or paired with meals, rosé wines have a versatile character that makes them suitable for any occasion.

This year has seen several exciting trends in the world of rosé. Sustainability and organic practices are becoming increasingly prevalent, with many vineyards adopting eco-friendly methods to produce high-quality wines. There’s also a growing interest in rosé wines from unconventional regions (Oregon, Texas, and Sicily, to name a few), expanding the diversity and richness of offerings available. Here are 8 rosés worth sipping to start the summer.

#1 - French CanCan Brut Nature Rosé, Edition Deluxe, France

There is a kind of beauty that doesn't announce itself with grandeur, but is more about grace – in a ballet, electric sort of way. French Cancan is precisely that kind of sparkling wine. It's not just a bottle blend of Chardonnay, Cinsault, and Pinot Noir of Southern France. It’s a sparkling ode to France’s passion for elegance and the label is a cheeky nod to the high-kicking dancers of the Moulin Rouge.

This isn’t Champagne, but it doesn’t want to be. In fact, the Brut Nature means there is no dosage; a dry style… as if Champagne took off its makeup and announced, “Here I am – no filter.”

The wine opens with a nose so vivid and enchanting, it feels like spring waltzing in through an open window. There’s a heady perfume of wild strawberries, freshly plucked raspberries, and just a whisper of rose petal. I’d best describe it as a bouquet that is both flirtatious and refined.

On the palate, French Cancan pirouettes with poise. Its mousse is fine and the wine glides with a creamy texture, liveliness -- but not without control, and a dynamic tension between fruit and freshness that builds toward a final curtsy.

The maestro behind the bubbles is Gérard Bertrand, a luminary in the world of wine, renowned for his commitment to biodynamic viticulture and his role in elevating the wines of Southern France. CanCan, crafted with reserve wines dating back to 2020, isn’t just a sparkling wine. It’s a sip of joie de vivre that reminds us that, sometimes, the finest bubbles come with a wink. Best served with a gathering of good friends, and anything from gougères to gossip. Bottle price: $29.99

#2 - Avivo 2023 Rosè, Lodi, California

Crafted by winemaker Dan Fitzgerald, this rosé is a sun-kissed blend of 95% Sangiovese and 5% Syrah from Lodi’s Ledbetter Family Vineyards, a place where the soils are rocky, the drainage is excellent, and Roundup is most definitely not invited. In fact, Avivo isn’t just organic. It’s part of a rare, almost monastic movement in American wine: Certified Regenerative farming, with the vineyards en route to full Demeter Certified Biodynamic status. This is one of only three U.S. wine brands certified glyphosate-free, but unlike the murky, kombucha-esque natural wines that sometimes populate the wine shop aisles, this wine is polished, pretty, and deeply pleasurable.

In the glass, this rosé is a model of understated glamour, with a pale, shimmery salmon hue that Fitzgerald himself calls “about as close to perfect as we’ve come.” (And honestly, he’s not wrong.) Aromatically, it’s all raspberry sorbet and hibiscus, with a refreshing little jolt of cucumber that keeps things from getting too sweet. On the palate, it’s crisp and lively, offering juicy strawberry, stone fruit, and a whisper of melon rind on the finish. Think of it as a rosé that flirts with you but never clings.

Pair this wine with a watermelon and feta salad, grilled shrimp, or citrusy couscous as best bets. Bottle price: $24

#3 - Portlandia NV Rose Sparkling Wine, Columbia Valley, Oregon

There’s something delightfully subversive about popping a bottle of pink bubbles from a label called Portlandia. Perhaps it’s the faint echo of hipster parody… urban chickens and artisanal pickles, anyone? Or maybe it’s just that this non-vintage rosé sparkler from Oregon’s Columbia Valley doesn’t try to be anything other than what it is: joy in a bottle, with fizz. And during a group tasting of this Oregon sparkler, this was a fan favorite.

Made with Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot grapes with minimal intervention (the wine equivalent of “don’t overthink it”), the Portlandia NV Rosé Sparkling Wine is a flirtatious little number grown in the lush, misty hills of the Willamette Valley, a region that, when not busy being absurdly photogenic, is quietly becoming one of the best sparkling wine sources in the U.S. Yes, really. Move over, Champagne. (Or at least slide over politely.)

On the nose: ripe strawberry and ruby grapefruit with a flirt of white pepper, like a fruit salad with attitude. On the palate: bright, crisp acidity and just enough creamy texture to feel indulgent without tipping into dessert territory. There's a whisper of spice in the finish, the kind that makes you think, Hmm. Maybe I’ll have another glass, even though it’s only Tuesday.

It’s a wine that pairs as easily with grilled shrimp and vegetable frittatas as it does with an impromptu couch picnic of kettle chips and old rom coms. And here’s the kicker: Portlandia wines are sustainably made. Rooted in a respect for nature that feels genuinely Oregonian, and by this, I mean not performatively green but actually green, this wine checks all the boxes for those who like their bubbles with a side of conscience.

This is an affordable indulgence, a pink punch of personality that doesn’t require a special occasion (though it could make one). And unlike some precious sparkling wines that demand reverence and Riedel stemware, Portlandia’s rosé feels refreshingly and rebelliously casual. You could pour it in a mason jar and still feel fancy.

If you’re looking for a bottle that embodies spring: buoyant and bright… this is it. It may not come with a French accent, but it absolutely speaks the language of celebration. Or at least, the language of yes, please. Bottle price: $19.99

#4 - Alileo Rosé Wine, Sicily

Alileo was born around a dining table in Gloucester in 2020, founded by husband-and-wife duo Antonio Bertone and Alexandra Drane as a tribute to Bertone’s Sicilian roots. Made in collaboration with his family in Sicily, it’s more than wine, but a celebration of heritage and a source of opportunity for relatives abroad.

Alileo Rosé comes in a box, and during a recent tasting with friends, it quickly became the pick to bring along for a summer sailing race. Bag-in-box wine has come a long way since its college-days reputation.

Each three-liter box holds the equivalent of four bottles, stays fresh for weeks, and significantly lowers its carbon footprint. It’s perfect for anyone who wants a glass of rosé on Tuesday and another on Saturday. It’s fresh, accessible, and waste-free.

Alileo’s box isn’t hiding anything either. Made from 100% Syrah grown in Sicily’s red soils, Alileo Rosé doesn’t whisper… it sings. This is not your pale, porch-sipper. It’s a bold, structured rosé with personality. On the nose, expect cherry and ripe summer berries. On the palate, it’s plush yet poised with fruit, acidity, and light tannins in perfect harmony.

It’s a food wine, and our tasting group enjoyed Castelvetrano olives while sipping this wine, but we kept thinking about pasta primavera. Alileo is also low intervention: no additives, no pretense. Just clean, honest winemaking. Box of 1.5 liters: $19.99

#5 - 2023 The Jules Rose, Jules Taylor, Marlborough, New Zealand

If rosé could wink, it might very well be the 2023 The Jules Rosé from Marlborough, New Zealand. Pale, dry, and fruit-packed, this wine doesn’t just ask to be chilled; it demands it, preferably alongside sunshine, a straw hat, and something ironically twee like cucumber sandwiches.

Made primarily from Merlot grown in the sun-kissed Patutahi Valley (with a splash of Marlborough Pinot Noir for good measure), The Jules is a rosé that wears its personality like oversized sunglasses: flirty, stylish, and self-aware.

The wine is the palest shade of blush… just a whisper of pink, and yet its flavor profile is exuberantly summery. The nose bursts with ripe raspberries, strawberries, watermelon, and nectarines, layered with hints of rose petals, pomegranate, and that nostalgic note of vanilla ice cream or peach melba yogurt. It smells like a vacation you didn’t know you needed.

On the palate, it’s dry and poised, with juicy acidity that gives it lift and a lingering finish that all but insists on a second glass. There’s real flavor here, and during a group tasting, the vote was unanimous that this was a scene-stealer for rosé wines, and a pleasant surprise on its origin. And thanks to a screw cap, it stays every bit as perky as the day you opened it. Bottle price: $84

#6 - 2023 IV Mourvèdre Rose, Texas

Here’s a Lone Star sip that surprised this wine journalist when the cork popped off like a bottle of bubbly.

So, what happened? In most still wines, winemakers work to prevent any residual sugar or active yeast from remaining after bottling. But occasionally, trace amounts of one or both can stick around. When they meet under the right conditions (usually warmth), fermentation can restart in the bottle. The yeast converts residual sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide, creating unexpected bubbles and pressure, hence the pop.

This phenomenon is more common in natural or minimally filtered wines, especially those with lower sulfur dioxide (SO₂) levels, which normally help prevent refermentation. It’s rarely dangerous, but it can be startling, and, in some cases, bottle pressure can build to unsafe levels if not caught.

In this case, the fizz was fleeting. Once poured, the wine settled quickly, with no persistent bubbles… just a brief sparkle and a reminder that wine is, in many ways, a living thing. While not intentional, this tiny burst of effervescence made for a memorable sip from the Lone Star State.

Hailing from the Texas High Plains, this is the kind of wine that makes you wonder what else the Lone Star State has been keeping to itself (besides, you know, brisket).

Let’s start with the look. It’s a stunning pale salmon, the kind of color that suggests both restraint and a really good Instagram filter. And at a picnic-perfect 13.2% ABV, it’s not only easy to drink, it’s easy to finish. (In fact, you might want to chill two bottles.)

The nose is a dance of ripe, sun-kissed fruit: strawberry, cherry, cranberry, and raspberry all doing a line dance with floral notes of pink carnation and hibiscus. It smells like summer.

On the palate, it’s flirtatious, lively, and unexpectedly poised. The acidity and fruit play in perfect harmony, like a duet between Dolly Parton and a French chanson singer. This isn’t just a wine that balances old-world structure and new-world exuberance; it walks that tightrope in heels and never breaks a sweat.

Pair it with watermelon salad, grilled shrimp, or that virtuous little pile of summer greens you promised you’d eat. Or skip the food altogether. This wine holds its own.

Texas rosé may not have the pedigree (yet) of its European cousins, but Invention Vineyards makes a compelling case for its place at the table… and in your fridge. It’s elegant without being stiff, bright without being brash, and unpretentious in a way that feels downright refreshing. Bottle price: $44

#7 - 2023 Gérard Bertrand Gris Blanc, South of France

Not all rosés want to be the life of the party. Some, like the 2023 Gérard Bertrand Gris Blanc (featured photo), are content to be the effortlessly elegant guest in the corner: perfectly dressed, quietly confident, and so subtly dazzling that you don’t notice you’ve fallen in love until your glass is empty.

Crafted from Grenache Gris and Grenache Noir… two grapes that know a thing or two about Mediterranean sun, Gris Blanc is a masterclass in restraint. Forget the bright bubblegum hues of supermarket rosé. This wine arrives in the palest of pinks, practically silver-tinged, thanks to the Grenache Gris.

This grape, Grenache Gris, is essentially a mutation of Grenache Noir, but with a lighter skin, which lends wines their signature pale color and a striking elegance. The style is often marked by minerality and fresh acidity, with a whisper of red berries rather than overt fruit bombast. Think red strawberries, raspberries, or cherries, but seen through a misty window.

The nose is delicate, with shy aromas of red berries… think wild strawberry, the kind you find in France that are about the size of your pinky nail but taste like a novella. There’s nothing shouty here, nothing perfumed or pushy. Just a gentle nod toward fruit and a promise of refreshment.

And refreshment is exactly what you get. The finish is minerally, clean, and persistent in a whispering sort of way.

Pair it, naturally, with oysters, grilled prawns, or a Mediterranean salad dressed with olive oil so good it deserves its own passport. Or go east; this is one of those rare rosés that can tango with Thai curry and not break a sweat. (Unlike you.)

Chilled, it’s the ideal aperitif… cool, composed, and confidently French. Serve it chilled, serve it often, and serve it with a little silver on the table. It deserves nothing less. Our tasting group deemed this the best taste and value at a bottle price of $16.99.

#8 – Souleil vin de Bonté 2024 Le Rosé, France

If you could sip seaside in a glass, Souleil would be the closest to doing so. This wine is sunshine with a splash of salt air and as breezy as a linen shirt on the Riviera.

Crafted from Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault grapes, this certified organic, vegan rosé is pale pink perfection, thanks to a gentle maceration that whispers color into the glass rather than shouting it. Aromatically, it’s all white cherry, citrus peel, and a faint but distinct note of ocean air. You’ll sip this and be transported to a Provençal picnic.

What sets it apart? Saline acidity that snaps the palate to attention and then gracefully lets go. Think oysters, think Niçoise salad, think whatever you want, as long as it’s served outdoors and preferably near water.

Souleil is more than just a pretty label. Woman-owned and inspired by the easy elegance of Mediterranean living, the brand also gives back, supporting nonprofit groups dedicated to ocean preservation. A rosé with a conscience and a crush-worthy core? Yes, please.

It’s the kind of wine that doesn’t just go with summer but practically defines it. And if you're not drinking it seaside, Souleil will do its best to make you feel like you are. Bottle price: $15

Charlene Peters is a wine writer and author of "Travel Makes Me Hungry."