For many, they are relegated to a supporting role, perfect for a seafood salad or a sunset toast. In reality, rosé wines are much more. Light yet structured, fresh yet deep, they bring the best of both worlds to the table, combining the aromatic complexity of red wines with the thirst-quenching appeal of whites. This versatility makes them ideal allies for countless pairings, especially during the long holiday dinners, where they offer great drinkability. Despite their growing success in international markets, in Italy, rosés still fight to gain the recognition they deserve.
While major Protection Consortia are working to enhance this category, the Rosautoctono Institute – created to promote Italian rosés – surprisingly remains in the shadows. Yet, the numbers are clear: from the Valtènesi denomination to Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo to Cirò, the world of rosé wine is responding to the increasing demand for innovative and quality products. This list features rosés made from the finest available grapes, with many wineries investing heavily in this category, offering well-structured and important ranges of rosés. This Christmas, their hard-fought revival deserves to be celebrated, explored, and above all, savored. Here is a simple guide to gifting a good bottle of wine for those who love rosés.
Rosé wines with the best value for money to gift this Christmas
In the following list, you’ll find some of the best wines we reviewed in the Vini d’Italia 2025 and Berebene 2025 guides by Gambero Rosso, all available in wine shops and online.
RGC Valtènesi Chiaretto Rosagreen 2023 - Pasini San Giovanni
With its pale and brilliant color, this wine reveals an elegant, complex, and refined nose, with aromas of small red fruits and wafts of Mediterranean scrub, sage, and rosemary. The palate is savory, vibrant, and nervy, yet rich in fruit, citrus, and minerality. It represents a different yet equally fascinating interpretation of Chiaretto, perhaps even more approachable.
Since Andrea Pasini founded the family winery in 1958, passion and dedication have been passed down through generations. Today, the four Pasini cousins run the winery, which spans 10 hectares of Turbiana in San Benedetto, 15 hectares at Cascina San Giovanni, the historical production hub, and 12 hectares in Picedo di Polpenazze in Valtènesi. The diverse soils and exposures are managed with a focus on biodiversity and sustainability, supported by a photovoltaic system installed in 2009.
RGC Valtènesi Chiaretto Cl. Fontanamora 2023 - Turina
This wine impresses with its pale, brilliant pink hue. It is highly complex on the nose, offering small fruits, spices, smoky notes, and minerals. Elegant and composed, it is fresh and precise on the palate, with an exceptional progression. In recent years, the winery has modernized its facilities and production processes, now standing at the qualitative forefront of the territory, producing high-quality wines from its 21 hectares of vineyards in Valtènesi and Lugana.
RGC Valtènesi Chiaretto RosaMara 2023 – Costaripa
A Mediterranean rosé with aromas of small red fruits and aromatic herbs, it has a light color and a deep flavor profile. Mattia Vezzola, a renowned oenologist, combines his expertise in méthode champenoise with innovative methods to create unique rosés with aging potential. Since 1928, the Vezzola family has been a revolutionary force in Valtènesi winemaking, now led by Mattia’s grandchildren, Gherardo and Nicole.
Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo Giusi 2023 – Tenuta Terraviva
This wine stays true to the traditional Cerasuolo style, offering hints of flint, toasted notes, herbal nuances, raspberry, currant, and crisp cherry. Fresh and vibrant, it is lively with balanced acidity and savoriness. Founded in 2006, Terraviva is a family-run winery committed to organic farming and artisanal production, led by Pina, Pietro, and their daughter Federica.
Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo Superiore Terre di Chieti Fossimatto 2023 – Fontefico
This genuine Cerasuolo boasts cherry-like fruitiness with subtle smoky hints. Succulent, savory, and deep, it delivers an engaging mouthfeel. Fontefico’s 15 hectares of organic vineyards are divided into four parcels on the Punta Penna promontory, producing high-quality wines reflecting their terroir.
With floral scents alternating with red fruits and Mediterranean scrub, this rosé is elegant and well-balanced, with sharp acidity and a hint of tannins. Pierpaolo Cerminara left his career as an engineer to take over his family’s vineyards, crafting authentic and expressive wines in Cirò.
Five Roses Anniversario 2023 - Leone de Castris
One of Italy's most renowned rosés, this version has floral and wild berry aromas, with a savory and delightful palate. With a winemaking tradition dating back to the 17th century, Leone de Castris manages 300 hectares, blending traditional and international grape varieties to create modern wines of great quality.
This Primitivo rosé presents floral scents with iodine nuances, offering a fresh, structured palate. Over the past 20 years, the winery has become known for its expressive, modern wines that showcase the mineral-rich limestone and clay soils of Gioia del Colle.
With floral and berry aromas, this rosé is fresh, smooth, and easy to drink. Podere 29, established just over two decades ago, benefits from the marine influence near the Margherita di Savoia salt flats to produce unique wines from traditional grape varieties, especially Nero di Troia.
Etna Rosato De Aetna 2023 - Terra Costantino
A standout rosé with aromas of red berries, wild roses, peach, citrus, and flint. Savory with a hint of tannins, it offers a sweet, fruit-driven palate with vibrant acidity. The Costantino family has been a pioneer in sustainable winemaking on Mount Etna, focusing on environmentally friendly practices.
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