From the explosive popularity of pink wine to the booming pink spirits category, consumers can’t seem to get enough of rose-coloured drinks.

In 2017-2018, the influence of social media thrust rosé wine into the spotlight as a Millennial must-drink. The release of Gordon’s pink gin turbocharged the trend and the category hasn’t looked back.

According to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, rosé wine sales volume grew by 118% from 2015 to 2020, and it’s expected to increase by almost 70% from 2020 to 2024. 

Pink gin volumes grew 16% in 2021 and are expected to grow at a volume CAGR of 4% 2021-2026. 

Even tequila is joining the pink trend, with IWSR Drinks Market Analysis projecting it will be the next rosy spirit to captivate the Insta crowd.

Codigo 1530, for example, ages its tequila for one month in Napa Valley Cabernet barrels to give the tequila a pink hue and a tannic bite from the grapes.

Maison Mirabeau leads the pink trend

One of the pioneers of the pink wine category is Maison Mirabeau founder Stephen Cronk. Cronk launched the award-winning French rosé brand in 2010. It now ranks as the best-selling Provence rosé brand in the UK and is available in over 50 countries.

In Australia and The Netherlands it also ranks among the top three in its category.

Cronk flew into Australia last week to update the industry on Mirabeau’s Dry Rosé Gin.

The inspiration to create the gin came when Cronk was de-alcoholizing a new lighter style of rosé for a new label called “Forever Summer.”

The byproduct was a delicious grape spirit with a whiff of rosé wine.

“I remember the four of us standing next to the machine, next to the winery, and we all took a wine glass of this clear, pure alcohol that smelled out of this world,” Cronk said.

“We all looked at each other and started to smile. We didn’t even have to say anything, we just high-fived each other and said, ‘Let’s make our gin out of grapes’ and the concept of Mirabeau Riviera Gin was born.

Cronk hosted a dinner at Gavroche restaurant in Sydney’s Chippendale to share his beloved gin in a selection of cocktails matched with fine French food.

Taking inspiration from the abundance of botanicals found along the French Riviera, Mirabeau’s Dry Rosé Gin redefines
the normally sugary pink gin category, with a dry, yet highly aromatic style.

It makes a delicious Mediterranean G&T and delectable cocktails, including pink versions of some of the classics, such as the
Rosé Negroni and Rosé Gin Martini.

Drinks Digest sipped three luscious Mirabeau Pink Gin cocktails during the evening. Here are the recipes.

Mirabeau Pink Gimlet

• 50ml Mirabeau Dry Rosé Gin
• 25ml Simple Syrup
• 50ml Lime Juice
• 75ml Mirabeau Pure Rosé Wine

Method: Combine all ingredients into an ice filled cocktail shaker. Shake together and pour into a coupe
glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with half wheel of lime and sprigs of thyme.

Mirabeau Margarita

• 45ml Mirabeau Gin
• 45ml Fresh Grapefruit Juice
• 15ml fresh lemon juice
• Juice from 1 wedge of lime
• 90ml spicy ginger beer

Method: Place the grapefruit juice in a bowl. On a plate, combine the zest and sugar. Dip the rim of a coupe or martini glass into the juice first, shake off the excess liquid, then let it kiss the sugar mixture to coat the rim evenly. Fill the glass with ice. In a filled cocktail shaker, combine the Mirabeau Gin and juices. Shake vigorously and pour into the prepared glass. Top it up with the spicy ginger beer and garnish with the quarter wheels of grapefruit

Mirabeau Rosé Negroni

• 25ml Mirabeau Dry Rosé Gin
• 25ml Lillet Rosé
• 25ml Luxardo Bitter Bianco
• Long orange peel

Method: Pour all ingredients into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass and stir. Wipe the orange peel around the rim of the
glass.  Pinch the peel to express a little oil, then add as garnish.

Mirabeau Dry Rosé Gin is gluten-free, 100% naturally flavoured with no residual sugar, and made in France with carefully selected botanicals. It is available in Dan Murphy’s and BWS Australia-wide, RRP $79.99.