Wine sales coming up rosé

SALES of rosé wines are rocketing across Britain, it was revealed yesterday.

Rosé sales are up by a quarter this summer against 2007 figures and pink vintages now make up one in ten bottles sold in the UK, according to supermarket chain Sainsbury's.

Although derided for years by wine critics for its over-powering sweetness, rosé is now the fastest-growing wine category in the UK as new, drier varieties have emerged to widespread critical acclaim.

Melissa Draycott, senior wine buyer at Sainsbury's, said: "Over the last year we have seen a rising interest in crisp, dry rosés with some varieties experiencing a sales increase of 100 per cent as traditional red and white wine drinkers look to try something new."

Rosé from the US is most popular among Britons, accounting for 52 per cent of total sales.