Kate Moss

Thinking about value again – value, always value – try to avoid ending up like Kate “Two Fags” Moss, this photo of whom was taken during a nautical jaunt with some “young men.” Frankly, I was more concerned about the bottle of wine on the table than about Kate’s excessive enthusiasm for the gaspers. For upon close, quasi-forensic examination – OK, a quick shuftie on PictureViewer™ – it proves to be none other than Domaines Ott Château de Selles Rosé Cœur de Grain.

Ott is owned by the otherwise-excellent Champagne firm of Louis Roederer and I recently tasted the current vintage of this elegantly-packaged pink ‘un with A Wine Writer Who Knows Much More Than I and was refreshed by his verdict, which chimed with my own thoughts: “Gotta be the most overpriced wine in the world, wouldn’t you think?” I nodded sagely, and we speculated that, at around 25-30 quid, they should alter the name to Domaine O.T.T. There’s nothing wrong with the wine as such, it’s a perfectly decent Provençal rosé that should cost a tenner, twelve quid maximundo.

Meanwhile, for the same dough, more or less, look on wine-searcher.com for Château d’Aqueria from Tavel which, along with Bandol, is where France’s most prestigious pinks come from and you’ll be getting the best rosé I tried last year. Waitrose sometimes have it but not at the moment but it’s a good axcuse to acquaint yourself with the magnificent (and completely unstuffy – unless you want theme to be) Berry Bros. and Rudd. My best rosé for yonks (or, just maybe, ever) is from Yves Cuilleron – one of the Rhône’s star winemakers – and although his pink Syrah Sybel is a lowly Vin de Pays it’s got plenty of the one thing that so many rosés lack – proper acidity. It’s not available in the UK at present but I’ll check back with you in the Spring as somebody will have it when we really need it. It’s got lovely bright rhubarb fruit and body is every bit as lissom as our Kate’s.