Discerning drinker: pink fizz

Most of the Champenois never traditionally took rosé very seriously but they have gladly met demand - some of them somewhat cynically, given the prevalence of what one anonymous industry insider calls "up-front, tits-out, TOWIE-style pink". But other champagne houses take rosé seriously, making complex, even food-friendly wines.

When it comes down to it, though, this is still bling: so none of them are cheap.

Champagne is not, of course, the only place that makes pink bubbles. The best from elsewhere are cavas. Dominio de la Vega Rosé Cava Brut NV is dry and fresh, brimming with strawberry fruit (Jeroboams, £12.25). Raventos I Blanc de Nit Cava Rosé 2008 is crisper, dryer and more elegant (Harvey Nichols, £20).

As for champagne, I'm not much impressed by most of the grandes marques' non-vintage rosés. The best by some distance is Veuve Cliquot Rosé NV: crisp and elegant yet fruity and well balanced, better than straight Veuve NV, in fact (widely available, about £38). For vintage, Veuve's Rosé 2004 is well above average too (widely available, about £65).

"Grower champagnes" grown and made by small producers are one alternative; the best selections are at Berry Brothers and The Sampler. Thus De Sousa Rosé NV Grand Cru is creamy and relatively full, although still elegant (Berry Bros, 3 St James's St, SW1 or www.bbr.com, £36.95). Eric Rodez Rosé NV Grand Cru is fruity, rounded and balanced (The Sampler, 266 Upper St, N1 and 35 Thurloe Place, SW7, £43.74).

Beyond that price, you're really in the realm of luxury. Billecart-Salmon Rosé NV is something of a classic, very elegant and light yet beautifully balanced and not overly crisp (Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Berry Brothers, Jeroboams; around £60).

For me, though, the most consistently good rosé champagnes are Bollinger's, quite different from their non-rosé equivalents and serious wines in their own right. Bollinger Rosé NV has lovely dry complexity, weight and fragrance (widely available, about £47.50; on offer for £39.99 in Waitrose until February 21).

In a similar style but with even more depth and length is La Grande Année Rosé: the fabulous 2002 is still in shops although the impressive 2004 is released next week (Berry Bros, Harvey Nichols, Handford Wines, 105 Old Brompton Rd, SW7; about £85).

Twitter @hernehillandy