Secret Wine Confession:
Mateus Rosé
I’m going to say this plainly: I love Mateus Rosé.
Here Neal and I are, sat in Lanzarote on a cheeky winter break, taking a breath before we head back for the start of our spring season in Lynton. We’re unapologetically sipping Mateus Rosé ice cold, and it’s everywhere here. Supermarkets, bar fridges, beach bars, the default pink wine in the sun. Seeing it on every table has taken me straight back to the first time I discovered it.
Mallorca, 1997. I was working as a travel rep, based in Cala Bona on the east coast. Quite the time. Lots of sun, lots of fun, and more than a little wine.
To escape the crowds, a few of us would wander along the coast, outside the resort, to a lonely little bodega down a dusty lane. Proper rustic tapas. No fuss. Just the kind of place that tastes better because you had to earn it with a bit of a walk.
Mateus was on the menu, and crucially, it was within our budget. We’d order a bottle, pour it cold, and suddenly the whole evening felt simpler. From that moment, I was hooked.
Mateus is cheap, cheerful, and ridiculously drinkable. It’s light, fresh, and it has that soft, slightly fizzy finish that makes the next sip feel like a good idea. Especially when it’s served properly cold.
Here’s the truth.
Back in the UK it’s got baggage. For a lot of people, it’s a memory of the 70s and 80s. The old bottle that ended up on windowsills with a candle stuck in the neck. It became a joke, and people inherited the opinion without revisiting the actual wine.
Mateus has never been pretending to be Provence rosé. It’s not here to impress anyone. It’s here to refresh you. When you treat it like that, it does its job extremely well.
So yes, we’re considering bringing it back as a “confession pour”. Not as a statement. As permission.
What to expect from a glass of Mateus Rosé
Fresh, lightly fruity, bright pink, clean and easy. A soft, slightly fizzy finish rather than full-on sparkling.
Mateus is designed to be drunk properly chilled. Ideal serving temperature is 6–8°C. Cold enough to be crisp, not so cold it tastes of nothing.
If you want ice in the sun, do it. This is a no-shame confession, not a tasting exam.
Pair it with:
Light lunches, salads, seafood, simple grilled bits, and anything you’d happily eat outside without overthinking.
The question
Should Mateus still be a punchline in the UK, or should it be what it is in Lanzarote: an easy, ice-cold rosé that just works?
So if you see it on our menu – don’t be surprised! No snobbery. No apologising. One chilled glass, and you decide for yourself.
Wine Facts:
Mateus Rosé
Everything you need to know about this cheap and cheerful rosé
Country
Portugal
Grapes
Baga; Rufete; Tinta Barroca; Touriga Franca
Style
Rosé, still with a “slightly sparkling” character (a light natural fizz)
Alcohol
10-11%
Aroma
Fresh red berries (strawberry, raspberry) with a light floral note and a hint of citrus.
Colour
Bright rosé pink, clean and vibrant in the glass.
Did you know?
Mateus’ squat, flask-shaped bottle was inspired by the hip flasks carried by soldiers in the First World War. When it arrived in the UK, that distinctive shape took on a second life, countless empties ended up as candle holders (and even bedside lamps) through the 70s and 80s.
More recently, the brand refreshed the look with a screwcap for its 70th anniversary, and later switched from the iconic green glass to clear for a cleaner, more modern feel.
(I should note that the Mateus Rosé we’ve been drinking in the Canaries, is corked)
