Rosado on a roll

The skyrocketing price of Provençal vineyards and frequent media images of celebrities like Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and George Lucas relaxing with a glass of their own tipple, confirm that rosé is in fashion, and "many celebs have invested in and promoted the rosé phenomenon". As one neighbouring winemaker put it, "We don't sell rosé wine here; we sell the dream of the French Riviera."

Wine of the Week

• Alta Alella Mirgin Rosé Cava 2020 Brut Nature Summer is still not yet over and, in any case, a good cava rosado is for year-round drinking. This excellent reserva is among the best, made from Monastrell grapes with a lovely colour and a fruity nose. Around 15 euros.

In Europe and the United States, consumption of rosé wine has increased by 10% a year over the last decade. However, there are signs that marketing and distribution is becoming a complicated issue.

The wine and hospitality world in New York was shocked recently when a top restaurant sommelier admitted she had been offered a cash bribe to feature a certain brand of rosé (well-known for its flashy advertising but of poor quality) on her wine list. The sommelier got full marks in the morality stakes when she stated that she selects wines independently, free from personal or economic pressures. Unfortunately, while consumption is rising, so is the presence of frankly bad, even industrial-class, rosé wines on the market.