Pretty in pink: a change of image

Gorgeously pink, exceptionally girlie and very drinkable - is this the image most of us have of port as a drink?

In a bid to change the image of port as something generally served in gentlemen’s clubs or Oxbridge dining rooms these well-known producers have decided to back the current passion for all things rosé. The result is this frankly indulgent version, which is full of cherry, rose petal flavour but definitely does not demand much concentration when drinking. It makes a great aperitif, as the sweetness is a good foil for various cocktail ingredients. Certainly, this would not be the choice for meditative post-dinner chat, unless you were nibbling rose and violet chocolate creams at the time.

So, how should Croft Pink be served? The simplest is to mix with soda and lots of ice or you could take a modern, creative approach with Croft Pink Garden: this involves mixing melon chunks with half a chilli pepper, then adding pink port and ice - strain into a martini glass. I’ve also tried it mixed with a very dry sparkling white wine and this is a great ice breaker, but do bear in mind that the alcohol level is pretty high in this version so just one will hit the spot!

Croft Pink Port £9.99 (£9.99, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons, Selfridges)

ROZ COOPER: BIOGRAPHY

Roz began her wine career in California, leading wine tours and tasting wines for a wine warehouse near San Francisco. She then ran her own California wine import business in the UK and subsequently became assistant editor of Decanter magazine, then wrote various books on wine including The Wine Almanac. Since then, she has written wine columns in many publications and edited books and magazines, including The Italian Magazine. She’s passionate about green issues including organic and biodynamic winemaking and also works on a voluntary basis with the Galapagos Conservation Trust.

Tags: Wine of the Week