DO you remember the popular song of the 1960s, Where Have All The Flowers Gone?

Well, the same applies to Ros wines. The pundits who know about these things are telling us that this year we shall all be drinking pink, but following a pretty intensive tasting I have come to the conclusion that we could all be in for a disappointing summer.

I did not come across a single New World wine that had that magical combination of summer pudding fruits on the nose and palate with a long, dry finish.

How is it that Australian wine makers can get all that up-front fruit on to their red wines, but can't do it with pink?

The four Ross selected for the Top 100 Vin de Pays featured at the recent London Wine Trade Fair showed some real promise.

Jonathan Butt of Threshers, who was one of the Judges, singled out two, both at £4.99 for comment: the Fruit d'Et (Fruit of Summer) from Alain Maurel - "Bright raspberry and crushed strawberry fruit. Fresh and rounded with lovely ripeness" - and La Baume Syrah - "Dry ros nose with blackberry and rhubarb on the palate. Quite light weight".

Another judge, Laura Jewell of Sainsbury's, chose two on the more expensive side.

The Ctes de Gascogne Tariquet at £5.99 which she considered: " Very pale pink. Lots of fresh intensity and clean strawberry fruit".

Meanwhile the £5.95 Grand Gaillard from Prigord was: "Pretty pale pink. Juicy red berries and strawberries. Crisp and fresh with some finesse".

But at around £5 or £6 a bottle these are pretty serious wines for quaffing in the garden or swilling with a barbecue.

If, like me, you are looking for a wine around £3 then I have found the very thing from Spain's Utiel-Requena region, high on a plateau inland from Valencia.

This is Via Decana Rosada, made entirely from the overlooked Bobal grape that is usually blended into their reds. Made like a white in cool stainless steel tanks, it is medium bodied, well balanced and overflows with enticing raspberry and cherry aromas and flavours with hints of citrus.

You'll find it at Aldi for a most modest £2.99. It is just the thing to recall holidays on the Costas or toast England taking another Australian Test wicket.