Culture | World in a dish

How Provençal rosé became the summer tipple par excellence

When temperatures rise, wine-drinkers think pink

Summer picnic on the beach at sunset. Young woman with glass of rose wine.
Image: Getty Images

WHEN temperatures reach 26°C (78.8°F) in Britain, a few things happen. People strip off their clothes and flock to parks and swimming pools. And they buy rosé. According to Majestic, Britain’s largest wine retailer, 26°C is the exact point at which sales of the pink stuff outpace those of red and white. During a heatwave last year, the company sold one bottle every 12 seconds.

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This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “La vie en rosé”

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