French Rose: What To Enjoy This Season
If you shut your eyes and ponder for a moment – while sipping a refreshing glass of rose wine, you could briefly take a trip to the preferred location on the shimmering Cote d’Azur.
Rose is rapidly becoming the most popular summer drink. In one of our favorite stores, the sales have risen to 56 percent higher than the year before – and Charles Lea of wine merchants Lea & Sandeman wistfully announced, “we’ve requested more, but we don’t have any’.
The numbers are no surprise to expert in roses, Elizabeth Gabay, author of Rose: The Pink Wine Revolution. Gabay has been watching the changes in the wine industry for a while and has predicted an increase in exponential growth, with the niche roses at the forefront. While the major names fight to be seen on shelves of the supermarket, this collection that comes from the South of France will take you on a journey from the stunning Island that is Porquerolles up to the Bandol region in Provence and then to the hills of Miravel and the lovely shade of Mont St Victoire, which captured the attention of artist Paul Cezanne.
Cotes de Provence Rose Domaine L’Ile originates from the Island of Porquerolles. Because it is an entire national park, the wine is brimming with clean air, bright rays of midday sun, and an underlying minerality that is found in the forest land. These wines are organic, clean, crisp, and sugar-free; the fruit is harvested at the perfect time to make sure it doesn’t get excessively sweet on the vine. Production is quite modest, with just 20 hectares of land under cultivation for roses and only four for their exceptional white wine that is made of 100% Rolle grapes. It’s a joy to imagine that the bottles leave via a small boat to Port Hyeres on the mainland. The estate recently changed hands and is now part of a handful that is owned by fashion house Chanel. This year’s vintage was created during the transition of ownership under the supervision of Nicolas Audebert – and gives an intriguing hint at the direction that this wine is headed. 2020 will be an exciting year.
As you move inland to the Bandol area of wine, accepted knowledge about rose wines (which is rapidly changing) is that this is the region that produces the best wines. The part is home to its appellation, and the grapes grown in the flat land in the hinterlands of Hyeres are renowned for their minerality. Terroir and its limestone. The mild coastal climate is ideal for the ripening late Mourvedre grape, which is essential to the structure that differentiates this Bandol rose in comparison to other Cotes du Provence. Tempier rose is highly valued and may be the most formal wine in this category. A delicious, well-structured, and powerful wine of this age, It can be viewed as a reference point to what a great Bandol rose should be like.
Since this region is the playground for summertime sports of the famous and wealthy and famous, one of the joys is that it runs alongside the glitzy. While they enjoy a relaxing time at Chateau Miraval, the summer residence for Brad Pitt – a delicious Cotes de Provence is produced on a massive scale under the guidance of internationally renowned French winemakers and The Perrin family. One of the major producers that has taken Cotes de Provence towards the world industry, Miraval has been regarded as a leading producer of rose. With 600 hectares of organic wine in production, they are developing the development of pink champagne and, interestingly, a mystery art project.
In the end, the less popular leads us up to Chateau Gassier, located in the shade of Sainte-Victoires mountain, where we can taste The Pas du Moine. Le Pas du Moine is an organic wine. Natural grapes are gathered at night to make sure that the temperature remains cool throughout the process of fermentation. The cool temperatures and the enigmatic atmosphere of the night produce an exquisite pale pink wine with a hint of vin gris. It is reminiscent of exotic fruits and lychees and is delicious with seafood.
