Sparkling Rosé

Four grapes go into this sparkling rosé, which is more than most producers bother with. Zinfandel and Pinot Noir bring the colour and the red-fruit weight, while French Colombard and Pinot Grigio keep it lean and lifted. Starla vinifies it as a real wine from California fruit, then removes the alcohol down to 0.5 percent, so what you get is strawberry blossom, citrus and lychee over a mineral base, with a floral gardenia note riding the bubbles. Calories, carbs and sugar are all kept low. It is the bottle in the range that behaves most like a celebration wine, and it holds its own against food that would flatten a lighter drink, from creamy risotto to a plate of fries at the end of a night. Serve it properly cold and pour it into a real wine glass rather than a flute.