Malcolm Gladwell's bestselling book, The Tipping Point, contains a story about Hush Puppies. The brushed suede shoe brand had almost trodden its last when it suddenly became fashionable again in New York in the mid-90s. The strange thing is that the manufacturers had nothing to do with it. As Gladwell puts it, 'The shoes passed a certain point in popularity and they tipped'.

Something similar has happened to rosé wines. Five years ago they were naffer than a tweed skirt. Al Murray's pub landlord wasn't the only person to sneer at pink wines. We were happy to drink dry rosés on holiday, but hand us a bottle of Rosé d'Anjou or Mateus and we'd put two fingers down our throats.

But then the market tipped. Today, rosé wines are the fastest-growing category in the UK, accounting for 6.5 per cent of sales. Supermarkets and off-licence chains used to regard them as bottom-shelf material but now they are devoting vast expanses of shelf space to pinks, rosados, rosatos, rosés and blushes.

So what has made rosé so popular? It all began in the summer of 2004, when the sun shone for longer than usual. As demand increased, rosé moved out of its seasonal slot to become an all-year-round drink. Since then, the diversity and increased availability of good rosé has boosted its popularity. Not so long ago, pink wines came from a restricted number of European sources. Now they hail from every corner of the wine-producing globe, including Chile, Australia, South Africa and the United States.

The country that is really driving the market, however, is the United States, which specialises in sickly, medium-sweet concoctions made from Zinfandel and Grenache. The wines made by the likes of Blossom Hill and Sierra Valley are hugely successful. For reasons best known to the people who make them, they are usually labelled as 'white' when they are nothing of the sort. I find them virtually undrinkable, but they account for more than half of the pink wine sold in the UK.

The good news is that there are plenty of other rosés on the market. Rosés vary massively in colour and fruit concentration, but the current trend is towards what Aussies call fruit-driven styles. Some of these modern wines are light reds in all but name, particularly if they are made from grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Syrah or Malbec. These styles are understandably popular with foodies looking for a good all-purpose wine to drink with a meal.

As you'd expect, rosé prices have begun to creep up, although you really shouldn't pay more than £8 unless you're drinking pink champagne. There are a few half-decent cheapies around, but you won't find much that's palatable under £4.50. But between those two figures, a whole new world of rosé awaits you. So slip on your Hush Puppies and get drinking.

My best buy:

2005 La Serrana Garnacha Rosé, Campo de Borja

(£2.99, Majestic)

If you're planning a summer party, you won't find a better cheap rosado than this fresh, cherry, fruity example from up-and-coming Campo de Borja.

Raboso Prosecco Rosé

(£7.49, Marks & Spencer)

If you can't afford pink champagne, this is a very good alternative. It's frothy and pleasantly off-dry with mouth-filling bubbles and raspberry fruit.

2005 Le Rosé de Floridene, Bordeaux

(£7.99, Waitrose)

Trust Bordeaux to charge a bit more for its rosés. But in this case, the extra money is worth it. The Cabernet Sauvignon brings structure as well as a grassy undertone.

2005 Kaituna Hills Rosé, Hawke's Bay

(£7.99, M&S)

Pinot Noir can be delicate when it's made as a red, so it's no surprise that this pale, easy-drinking Kiwi rosé is so elegant and refined.

Henriot Rosé Brut

(£27.99, Oddbins)

Forget the over-priced stuffand buy a bottle of this subtle, appealingly dry champagne instead. A real bargain.

2005 Laroche Rosé de la Chevalière, Vin de Pays d'Oc

(£5.99, Tesco)

A wine that more than lives up to its stylish packaging, this spicy, bone-dry, screwcapped southern French blend is a great barbecue rosé.

2005 Château Guiot Rosé, Costières de Nîmes

(£5.99, Majestic; or £4.79 each for two)

A well-structured blend of Grenache and Syrah with more colour than most pink wines in the Gard. This fruity, full-bodied number is one of my current favourites.

2005 Casillero del Diablo Shiraz Rosé

(£5.99, Sainsbury's; Majestic)

You might need to wear dark glasses to drink this one, but I think it's a lot of fun. It's a DayGlo rosado with rich plum and blackberry notes.

2005 Martius Rosat, Falset Marça, Montsant

(£6.50, Bibendum, 020 7449 4120)

Produced in the Monsant region near Barcelona, this concentrated, peppery blend of Grenache and Syrah is like a medium-bodied red. I love its mouth-watering acidity.

2005 Finca Flichman Malbec/Shiraz, Mendoza

(£4.49, Waitrose)

Argentina is a new entrant to the rosé stakes, but it's making impressive strides. This full-bodied style is packed with red-berry fruit and even has a touch of tannin, too.

2005 Malumbres Rosada, Navarra

(£4.95, The Wine Society, 01438 740222)

Navarra is still Spain's best pink wine region, using Garnacha to great effect. I love the juicy, strawberryish fl avours of this delightfully perfumed example.

2004 Tariquet Rosé, Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne

(£5.99, Somerfield)

Gascony is better known for its whites than rosés, but this wine might change a few perceptions. It's pale and slightly grassy with a tingle of refreshing acidity.

· Tim Atkin is the winner of the Glenfiddich wine writer of the year award