2022 Domaine Pique Roque Rosé, Côtes de Provence

I have been buying this wine every year since it first landed on our shores back in 2006. It’s funny how brands come and go; some skyrocket, then fizzle, and others ghost off, never to be seen again. Powerhouse rosés like Mirabeau and Whispering Angel forge forwards with ever-increasing volumes and, to my mind, quality. While these are both reliable producers making delicious wines, I like to mix it up a bit and champion underdogs whenever possible. So it is that Pique Roque, a quiet, unassuming wine with rare purity and verve, always manages to find its way into my glass, often poured from a magnum or even larger format. I smile at its demure perfume, gentle perkiness, and terrific thirst-quenching skills while patting myself on the back for saving a few quid, too. While most big brand names have shot up towards the £20 mark, Pique Roque has gone up precisely £1.50 in seventeen years, making me love this estate even more.