Once dismissed as overly sweet and lacking character, today's rosé is a world away from the syrupy styles that used to dominate the shelves. Inspired by the pale, crisp bottles poured across the south of France and beyond, modern rosé has become drier, fresher and far more sophisticated, making it just as suited to an alfresco lunch as an evening barbecue.

Its popularity shows no sign of slowing, either. Rosé now accounts for around 11 per cent of the UK wine market and, increasingly, it's been embraced well beyond the summer months. Last year, for instance, one supermarket chain saw December outperform July for rosé sales, though with another heatwave in full swing, I'd happily pour a glass right about now.

Steve Garwood, buying manager for Tesco, believes social media has helped fuel the trend. “We’re seeing a huge rise in demand for rosé, driven in large part by TikTok and social media trends,” he said.…