I want to talk about how great rosé goes with Christmas dinner, but first I need to start with an apology to my sister Lori. Lor, I very much appreciate that bottle of Whispering Angel you brought me this summer. I have no doubt you went to the Wine Store and bought the most expensive rosé they had and that was super generous of you. But next time save yourself some green, because while Whispering Angel is a very solid wine, here are three that are its equal (and maybe more) at almost half the price.

Gerard Bertrand Cotes des Roses $23

Well this is a no-brainer. You have a wine from the South of France that masterfully utilizes Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault to craft a wine with notes of wild strawberries but with some minerally undertones to show its class. And it’s pale pink and comes in a bottle that’s instantly recognizable. Sound familiar? Exactement! Seriously – as between the two I’d probably take the Bertrand straight up as I prefer the slightly darker hue than WA’s very light pink€”but when one’s on sale for $23 as compared to $40? Brother, it’s not even a competition.

Protea Rosé

Don’t smirk. This South African gem features a very Provencal mix of mouvedre, cinsault, syrah, grenache and carignan and vinifies very dry. The result is a $15 bottle that can easily stand toe-to-toe with WA: there’s those same strawberries, a racy body, some spicy undertones. And if your friends demand French rosé, then let the beautifully designed bottle woo them over€”and the fact that you can buy almost three bottles of it for the price of 1 WA.

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Road 13 Honest John’s Rosé

So finding Okanagan rosés made with Syrah is tricky (and we grow almost no Grenache or Mouvedre, maybe no Carignan or Cinsault). The closest we have to a Southern French rosé is the wonderful Amulet, but it’s long sold out (mark your calendars for March 2022 when it will be back, for a  blink of an eye we assume, so don’t sit on your hands). In fact almost all Okanagan rosé of any strip is gonzo, save for the supplier who could should decent quantities to the BCLDB…like Road 13. I still can’t fathom how this wine is only $19 and while it’s blend of Pinot and Gamay ain’t Provencal, there is a smidge of Syrah in there to qualify. It also is heavier of body and hue €” more salmon pink than pale pink. But it’s also flipping delicious and will go toe-to-toe with the dark meat and gravy with its combo of citrus and cranberries. 

Neal McLennan

Neal McLennan

Neal McLennan is the wine and spirits editor for Vancouver and Western Living magazines, where he susses out the wonderful (and occasionally weird) options for imbibing across Western Canada.