What are the best Italian rosé wines? Discover our list with photos, description and tasting of the best 20 best Italian rosé wines value for money. From the most famous Italian rosé wines to the lesser-known ones of the best producers.
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You may also be interested in the article dedicated to the best Italian red wines and the best white wines.
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Rosé wine in Italy
Rosé wine in Italy has not always been understood. In some cases it has in fact accumulated detractors due to excessively disengaged interpretations of the past and has been debased by some as a wine, neither meat nor fish.
The truth is actually the exact opposite: Italian rosé wine goes perfectly with both meat and fish, but also much more thanks to the great gastronomic versatility: drinkable, summery and seductive, but also a wine that can stand out among the best Italian wines for elegance and complexity.
This is an element that the French cousins had already understood for some time with their famous and exciting rosé wines from Provence, considered ante litteram among the best rosé wines in the world.
In recent times, rosé wine in Italy has experienced a real boom, conquering more and more consumers, gradually moving away from the stereotype of wine that is exclusively bland, frivolous and feminine.
(as if this were a problem, which testifies to how much work there is still to be done in the world of wine communication in Italy.)
Famous Italian rosé wines
The history of Italian rosé wine is relatively recent: the first Italian rosé was born during the Second World War, in Puglia. We are talking about Five Roses, from the Leone de Castris company, 90% of Negroamaro and 10% of Malvasia Nera. Still a real institution when it comes to the best Italian rosé wines.
Production areas of Italian rosé wines
The world of Italian rosé (or rosa) wine is incredibly complex and colorful. In Italy it is produced from north to south, declined in a thousand different interpretations that give light to the best Italian rosé wines.
The north, for example, boasts fresh and slender interpretations of Chiaretto, such as Chiaretto Bardolino and Chiaretto Valtènesi, produced in the areas of Lake Garda. Going down, the color intensifies with the rosé Syrah of Cortona, inspired by Provence, and with the Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, produced from Montepulciano grapes.
The rosé wines produced on volcanic soils, such as Etna Rosato, or near the sea, such as Cirò Rosato and Salice Salentino Rosato, stand out for their minerality and freshness.
Best Italian rosé wines recommended by Jean Marco Palmieri
In addition to these areas, there are also many other producers of Italian rosé wines of excellent quality.
So let’s see together a list of the 20 best Italian rosé wines and discover their characteristics with our tasting so that everyone can find the best expression of the best Italian rosé wines suited to their tastes.
BEST ROSE WINES OF SOUTHERN ITALY
Anniversario Five Roses Salento – 2019 – Leone di Castris
Description: It reveals the fresh and fruity notes of pomegranate grains and wild strawberries combined with notes of Mediterranean scrub and echoes of wet rock salt. The sip is clear and smooth, well balanced between freshness and flavor.
A crunchy and affable wine, an institution among the best Italian rosé wines: overall balance, immediacy and smoothness. Good value for money and gastronomic versatility.
Indicative price: 12 €
Italian rosé wine region: Puglia (Salento)
Cannonau Rosato ‘Nudo’ Siddùra 2020
Olfactory texture characterized by citrus notes of pink grapefruit, white peach with aromatic reflections of sage and Mediterranean scrub. In the mouth it is dense and rhythmic, with a very pleasant saline graininess and acidity of backbone.
A pressing rosé wine from Sardinia, with a large, clean and mineral sip. Among the best Italian rosé wines for its ability to combine olfactory finesse and richness on the palate. Good gastronomic versatility.
Indicative price: 20 €
Italian rosé wine region: Calabria
Cerasa Rosè – Salento IGT Riserva 2018 – Michele Calò & Figli
Nose layered with ripe cherry and myrtle on display embellished with elegant notes of elderberry and sage. In the mouth it explodes fresh and vibrant, supported by a beautiful saline presence that enters into synergy with the long and persistent finish. On the palate it is broad and well balanced, supported by a beautiful acid vein that never tires and that makes the drink fresh and energetic. Produced from free-run must and partially aged in small French oak barrels.
A Negroamaro in pink, decisive and pressing already on the nose, fully among the best Italian rosé wines for versatility with gastronomic combinations of all kinds.
Approximate price: € 14
Italian rosé wine region: Puglia (Salento)
“JeT” 2020 Toscana Rosato IGT – Castello di Montepò
Description: Nose rich in facets, between citrus nuances of violet notes, cherry and delicate sensations of Mediterranean herbs. Fresh and strong on the palate, with a pleasantly savory finish.
From the Castello di Montepò by Jacopo Biondi Santi, one of the best Italian rosé wines for taste-olfactory richness, elegance, balance and flavor. Great testimony of Sangiovese rosé wine.
Tuscany region
Italian rosé wine region: € 20
Celeste Calabria Rosato – Cantine Benvenuto
Red fruits in evidence, including raspberry, cherry and wild strawberry. On the palate it flows fresh and sinuous, supported by an intriguing acid vein that favors drinkability. Fruity and mineral finish.
A vibrant and drinkable interpretation of Calabrian grapes, in which the fruit is the protagonist. Deservedly among the best Italian rosé wines for presence on the palate and with an authentic and territorial character.
Indicative price: 12 €
Italian rosé wine region: Calabria
Primitivo Rosato – Salento IGT 2019 – Attanasio
Wild strawberries, currants and blackberries are the overture to an olfactory range that continues on citrus and candied fruit nuances. In the mouth we find the fruit, well balanced by a very fresh and slightly almond finish.
A sunny and fragrant rosé from Salento, one of the best rosé wines for its ability to synthesize the essence of a territory in the glass.
Approximate price: 16 €
Italian rosé wine region: Puglia
També – Isola dei Nuraghi IGT 2019 – Capichera
Olfactory texture played on floral notes of lemon balm, red and violet roses and fruity nuances reminiscent of wild berries and orange jam. Juicy and round on the palate, supported by a nice acid component that stretches towards a savory and fruity finish, with good persistence.
Fully among the best Italian rosé wines for the captivating minerality that gives a Mediterranean sip animated by brackish suggestions.
Approximate price: 16 €
Italian rosé wine region: Sardinia
Il Rogito – Basilicata IGT 2018 – Cantine del Notaio
Full and intense aromatic profile, with notes of raspberries, pomegranate seeds, pink pepper and a slight woody nuance. The entrance on the palate is supported by slender and snappy tannins, in synergy with a strong acidity that culminates in a persistent finish with good fruity returns. Aglianico grapes vinified in pink and aged 12 months in barriques.
A rosé with lots of fruit but which contains a fresh and mineral heart. Among the best Italian rosé wines for its strong personality, decisive and never banal.
Indicative price: 12 €
Italian rosé wine region: Basilicata
Aglianico Vetere – Paestum IGT 2019 – San Salvatore
A delicate and refreshing nose, with notes of raspberry, red currant, orange blossom, mandarin, aromatic herbs and brackish sensations. The palate confirms the sense of smell, the beautiful saline presence leaves the mouth fresh and citrusy.
One of the best Italian rose wines for the freshness of the taste-olfactory picture, given by the alternation of iodized flavor and succulence that creates a very convincing dialectic.
Approximate price: € 14
Italian rosé wine region: Campania
Rosato ‘Grayasusi – Etichetta Argento’ Ceraudo 2018
Description: The nose is broad and penetrating, with notes of small red fruits, myrtle, vanilla and Mediterranean scrub stand out. On the palate it is rich but balanced, whole and fresh.
A vibrant interpretation of rosé wine in Italy, the great eloquence on the nose acts as an overture to a rich enveloping volume and savory on the palate. Deservedly among the best Italian rosés
Indicative price: 20 €
Italian rosé wine region: Calabria
Etna Rosato 2018 – Graci
Strong notes of pomegranate emerge on the nose, suggestions of wild strawberries with epiphanies of wild mint. On the palate it is very expansive and rich, with a nice iodized vein and citrus hints that echo.
Sicilian rosé wine from Etna with a great structure and an eloquent nose, ideal for pairing with complex dishes. Deservedly among the best Italian rosé wines.
Approximate price: 27 €
Italian rosé wine region: Sicily
Girofle 2018 – Garofano Severino
The aromatic framework is seductive and is articulated between delicate nuances of red currant and wild raspberry, orange peel, candied apricot and jasmine. Excellent the alternating note between iodized flavor and pressing acidity that create an engaging dialectic amplifying the fruit on the palate. 100% Negroamaro.
A long-limbed rosé from Salento, of great smoothness and olfactory eloquence. Among the best Italian rosés for seduction and ability to thrill in the reiteration of the sip.
Indicative price: 10 €
Italian rosé wine region: Puglia
Tramari – Salento IGT 2019 – San Marzano
The nose opens with a riot of raspberries, cherries and strawberries on a delicate floral carpet. On the palate a strong saline trail envelops the sip making it long and succulent.
A pink Primitivo with an all-Mediterranean character, among the best Italian rosé wines for its immediacy and smoothness on the palate. Excellent value for money.
Indicative price: 10 €
Italian rosé wine region: Puglia
Rosato del Salento – Salento IGT 2019 – Rosa del Golfo
Fragrant and multifaceted nose, it suggests notes of red rose, geranium, wild strawberries, cherries and currants. The sip is round and refreshing, well shaped by a silky tannic texture and a juicy finish that offers delicious floral references.
An iconic wine, to be loved for its fruity charm and full and well-structured taste. To be counted among the best Italian rosé wines for the balance between pulp, salinity and tannins. Excellent value for money.
Indicative price: 10 €
Italian rosé wine region: Puglia
Tenute Bosco Piano dei Daini Etna Rosato 2018
Yellow peach and grapefruit blend with notes of morello cherry, wild strawberries and orange blossom flowers. On the palate it flows lively and saline, with a delicate finish with delicate citrusy echoes. A rich and pleasant Sicilian rose wine from Etna, animated by marine and floral suggestions. Deservedly among the best Italian rosé wines.
Indicative price: 20 €
Italian rosé wine region: Sicily (Etna)
Rosato – Etna Rosato DOC 2018 – Girolamo Russo
It opens up captivatingly on notes of ripe red fruits and flowers, with strong hints of fresh cerase, cassis and al which stretch towards smoky suggestions. In the mouth it is expansive with a good acid thorn that leaves room for a persistent and almondy savory finish.
A Sicilian rosé wine with a suggestive and imaginative nose that does not give up the freshness of the palate. Fully among the best Italian rosé wines.
Indicative price: 20 €
Italian rosé wine region: Sicily (Etna)
‘Scalunera’ Etna Rosato 2018 – Torre Mora
Description: Fragrant opens on citrus sensations of pink grapefruit and lemon peel embellished with small sweet red fruits. The sip is enveloped by pressing, with a marked acidity and a lively iodized vein well outlined.
One of the best Italian rosé wines for taste-olfactory eloquence and expressiveness. Very convincing and adaptable in combination.
Indicative price: 20 €
Italian rosé wine region: Sicily
Costa d’Amalfi Rosato 2019 – Marisa Cuomo
Multifaceted and elegant bouquet, which is articulated between delicate suggestions of rose petals, wild raspberry, currant and salt. The mouth is wide and dry, made lively by a strong acidity that enhances the soft and fragrant finish.
Rosé wine from Campania of great expressiveness, flawless mastery in balancing aromatic finesse and delicacy with opulence and enveloping on the palate. Fully among the best Italian rosé wines.
Indicative price: 15 €
Italian rosé wine region: Sicily
Etna Rosato Alnus 2018 – I Custodi delle Vigne dell’Etna
The nose is characterized by a floral bouquet embellished with notes of wild strawberries, raspberry, apricot and yellow peach. In the mouth it is pleasantly savory, with a nice soft and mineral finish reminiscent of the sea.
A no-frills rosé that makes us travel to the volcanic lands of Etna, with a salty drink and pressing acidity. Among the best Italian rosé wines for territorial expressiveness, pleasantness and strength on the palate.
Approximate price: 18 €
Italian rosé wine region: Sicily
Etna Rosato “Alta Mora” 2018 – Cusumano
Description: It opens on notes of wild strawberries, white peaches and hints of garrigue. The sip is voluminous, supported with a grainy iodized saline presence.
One of the best interpretations of rosé wine in Italy, great identity and territorial character.
Italian rosé wine region: Sicily (Etna)
Indicative price: 15 €
Terra Costantino De Aetna Etna Rosato 2018
The nose is clear and fragrant, with characteristic notes of exotic fruit, cranberries and wild raspberry and musk. In the mouth it is dry and harmonious, with a good structure and with a salty sip that invites you to drink it.
A fresh and seductive Sicilian rosé wine, with a pleasant iodized finish in which the fruit echoes. Deservedly among the best Italian rosé wines.
Approximate price: 17 €
Italian rosé wine region: Sicily (Etna)
Etna Rosato – Tenuta delle Terre Nere 2019
Intense and intriguing aroma with continuous references to small berries and withered flowers, embellished with lively citrus nuances of mandarin and grapefruit. The sip is flickering, succulent and of great freshness, with delicious fruity references that tempt you to drink it.
One of the most captivating and successful interpretations by Nerello Mascalese. To be counted among the best Italian rosé wines for the whimsical and incisive sip in which the terroir and the varietal character of the fruit echoes the protagonist.
Approximate price: 22 €
Italian rosé wine region: Sicily
Tifeo – Etna Rosato Dop 2018 – Gambino
Fresh and fragrant olfactory range, with herbaceous and citric notes of grapefruit that blend with hints of white peach and melon. In the mouth it has an intense sip, with salty salty hints that give presence and character to the sip.
Elegant Sicilian rosé wine, among the best Italian rosé wines for expressiveness, freshness and impeccable value for money.
Indicative price: 15 €
Italian rosé wine region: Sicily (Etna)
BEST ROSE WINES OF CENTRAL ITALY
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo 2019 – Cirelli
Description: It suggests notes of raspberries, blood orange, licorice and Mediterranean scrub. Penetrating acidity on the palate supported by an engaging sapidity. Intense and persistent finish. Refine in amphora.
One of the best Italian rosé wines in Abruzzo: structure, richness and captivating aromatic framework. Whimsical and expansive character.
Indicative price: 20 €
Italian rosé wine region: Abruzzo
Piè delle Vigne – Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC 2018 – Cataldi Madonna
The aromatic framework outlines notes of wild raspberry, morello cherry embellished with more enigmatic spicy and hydrocarbon tones.
On the palate it is voluminous and lively and supported by a pleasant granular mineral trail that creates presence on the palate and amplifies the sensations in the after-smell. Finale of excellent persistence, harmonious and excellent cleanliness.
The multifaceted aromatic spectrum anticipates an exciting, voluminous and mineral sip. Fully among the best Italian rosé wines.
Il Canaiuolo – Toscana Rosato IGT 2018 – Montenidoli
Raspberry, orange blossom, mandarin and violet characterize the nose. On the palate it is dry and lean, with a good acid boost that leaves room for a long and harmonious finish.
A Tuscan rosé with a wide, clean and salty sip, to be counted among the best Italian rosés for its pleasant and delicate olfactory expressiveness. Good value for money.
Approximate price: 16 €
Italian rosé wine region: Tuscany
Syrosa – Toscana IGT Rosato 2019 – Stefano Amerighi
Description: Aromas initially played on notes of wild raspberry, morello cherry embellished with more enigmatic spicy and hydrocarbon tones. The mouth is wide and lively and supported by a pleasant granular mineral trail that creates presence on the palate.
With full rights among the best Italian rosé wines: the fragrance and olfactory complexity are the prelude to a surprisingly unusual, passionate, rich and savory sip.
Indicative price: 15 €
Italian rosé wine region: Tuscany (Cortona)
Sì – Toscana Igt Rosato 2018 – Duemani
Description: A layered nose that ranges from white flowers, cassis and raspberry. Rich, enveloping on the palate supported by a strong acidity that gives it drinkability.
One of the best Italian rosé wines for its ability to combine character and drinkability, with a delicate and fine nose and an intense and engaging palate.
Approximate price: 34 €
Italian rosé wine region: Tuscany (Pisa)
Rosa del Castagno – Toscana IGT Rosato 2018 – Fabrizio Dionisio
Description: The nose alternates floral aromas of rose petals, lemon peel, hints of salt, red currant and wild strawberries. The sip is smooth with a moderate acidity and an intriguing mineral iodized note.
A vertical and caressing wine with a seductive nose, among the best Italian rosé wines Cortona for its ability to combine finesse and olfactory eloquence and smoothness on the palate. Good value for money.
Indicative price: 10 €
Italian rosé wine region: Tuscany (Cortona)
Versý in Rose – Toscana Igt Rosato 2018 – Tenuta Montecchiesi
Description: It opens delicately on nuances of nuanced white peach and orange blossom flowers, then continuing with nuances reminiscent of aromatic herbs and garrigue. Sip is thick and accommodating.
One of the best Italian rosé wines for its finesse, refined nose and savory and passionate sip.
Indicative price: 20 €
Italian rosé wine region: Tuscany (Cortona)
Malandrino – Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC 2019 – Cataldi Madonna
The nose is broad and refreshing, with strong brushstrokes of strawberry, black cherry and blood orange that fade towards floral notes of violet and pink. On the palate it is dense and enveloping, supported by a beautiful acid blade that dilutes its vigor.
Easy to drink and immediate, a wine for the whole meal to be counted among the best Italian rosé wines for its great gastronomic versatility and interesting value for money.
Indicative price: 8 €
Italian rosé wine region: Abruzzo
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Rosé – Emidio Pepe 2017
Titillates the nose with a riot of small sweet red fruits of raspberries and wild strawberries and delicate floral nuances and Mediterranean scrub. On the palate it has an acidity that gives a great freshness but also mineral and material. Excellent persistence in which the fruit echoes penetratingly.
A wine of fragrance and drinkability but also elegance, fully among the best Italian rosé wines for character and expressiveness.
Approximate price: € 35
Italian rosé wine region: Abruzzo
BEST ROSE WINES OF NORTHERN ITALY
Rosato in Anfora Agathe – Verona IGT 2018 – Corte Sant’Alda
Delicate floral notes of dandelion fade towards fruity sensations reminiscent of small berries, echoes of rock and sweet spices. The sip, very soft, has an agile development that culminates in a savory finish with fruity returns. Vinified with Molinara grapes, it is a biodynamic rosé, fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged in amphora.
A straightforward wine that does not hesitate, in which the pulp of the fruit and the fresh flavor make the sip full and satisfying. Deservedly among the best Italian rosé wines.
Approximate price: 16 €
Italian rosé wine region: Veneto
Chiaretto RosaMara – Valtenesi DOC 2019 – Costaripa
The nose is played on notes of black cherry, peach and pomegranate and floral nuances of rose and hawthorn. In the mouth it enters wide and sinuous, with a very delicate tannin and a slight acidity that gives smoothness. Wine from free-run must and partially aged in barriques.
With excellent drinkability, it is an elegant and whimsical claret, to be counted among the best Italian rosé wines for its impeccable quality-price ratio.
Approximate price: 11 €
Italian rosé wine region: Lombardy
Bardolino Chiaretto DOC 2018 – Poggio delle Grazie
Fine and fragrant bouquet characterized by juicy red fruits and refreshing notes of eucalyptus, thyme and mint. The sip is punctuated by a nice savory vein that emphasizes the fruity and persistent finish, with returns of currant, raspberry and cherry.
A tantalizing pink wine already on the nose, characterized by a balsamic breath and a greedy and fruity drink. Deservedly among the best Italian rosé wines for its great olfactory intelligibility. Excellent value for money.
Approximate price: 11 €
Italian rosé wine region: Veneto
Villa Cordevigo – Bardolino Chiaretto DOC Classico 2018 – Vigneti Villabella
Mandarin, orange blossom and rose petals are the overture together with delicate notes of red fruit. The sip is agile and urgent, animated by fruity and floral returns and with a pleasant almond finish with good persistence.
An organic and refreshing claret, among the best rosé wines for the intriguing slightly bitter finish that teases the palate and entices you to drink it.
Indicative price: 10 €
Italian rosé wine region: Veneto
Rodon – Bardolino Chiaretto DOC 2018 – Le Fraghe
The nose is all dog rose, currant, wild strawberry, black cherry, with pleasant spicy returns of cinnamon and black pepper. On the palate it flows fresh and harmonious, well balanced between soft tannins and minerality. Excellent persistence, clean and pleasant.
Organic and with an interesting quality-price ratio, it is a seductive and captivating wine. Deservedly among the best Italian rosé wines for the original synthesis between the juiciness of the fruit and the granular flavor.
Approximate price: 11 €
Italian rosé wine region: Veneto
Bardolino Chiaretto DOC 2018 – Cavalchina
It opens on the nose with notes of geranium, strawberries and raspberry, extending towards a slightly balsamic and mineral trail. The sip is light, fresh and balanced, made pressing by a moderate acidity.
A direct and beautiful wine, among the best Italian rosé wines for immediacy and liveliness.
Indicative price: 7 €
Italian rosé wine region: Veneto
What is the best Italian rosé wine?
What is the best Italian rosé wine value for money? Choosing is a difficult undertaking, which however inevitably is subject to the limits of a subjective opinion, which as such, by definition, is deficient and arbitrary. We have compiled our list of virtuous quality interpretations of Italian rosé wines from the best wineries according to our evaluations. However, it remains essential to underline that the best Italian rosé wines are those able to excite us, also by binding themselves to contingent situations and unrepeatable and intimate moments of our life. Therefore, we invite you to discover all the wineries that produce rosé wines in their uniqueness, so that you can independently find and choose the wine that can be counted for you among your best Italian rosé wines.
