My Ideal Pink Wardrobe This Summer!

6 May 2015: It was really a privilege to be included amongst a room full of experts to blind taste 36 premium rosé wines from around the world (9 countries) and across a range of prices with the most budget-friendly being Chateau de Sours, Bordeaux (Retailed Recommended Price (RRP) GBP 11.50). Richard Bampfield MW had organised this tasting in collaboration with Chateau Brown, whose wines were amongst the wines tasted. A widespread line-up of samples were drawn from France (Bordeaux, Provence, Tavel, Bandol, Languedoc-Roussillon, and Loire), Spain, Portugal, Sicily, Chile, South Africa, Australia and England - some countries/regions had just one wine represented.

Tasting is a very subjective affair and especially with something like rosé wine which is more often associated with summer holidays in the sun than being an everyday beverage. Colour gave an immediate first impression, followed by organoleptic qualities and balance (alcohol, freshness and ripeness of fruit). Overall, I seem to have given higher scores to a certain style of rosés: pale salmon colour, lively acidity, aromatic attractiveness with bright but subtle floral and fruity character of raspberry and grapefruit with just a hint of savoury character to give some complexity, well-integrated balanced alcohol and a harmonious finish. A good rosé for me is one that helps conjure the image of sun, sea, seafood and sea breeze.

The following 10 were my top-scoring wines (note that they came in a wide range of prices!):

2014 Domaine des Diables Rosé Bonbon, Côtes de Provence, Sainte Victoire 

(50% Cinsault, 30% Syrah, 20% Grenache) 12.5% abv (RRP GBP 13.95)The estate was established by the Fabre children from Domaine Sainte Lucie. First harvest was 2007. Soils composed of clay, silt and sand, ideal for the production of characterful and aromatic rosé wines. 70% of the grapes for Rose Bonbon came from one of the oldest parcels planted in 1914. 3 hours cold maceration before fermentation. 6 months on fine lees.


2014 Miraval, Côtes de Provence 

(Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, Rolle) 13% abv (RRP GBP 21.50) The Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie venture. Winemaker is Marc Perrin.

2014 Domaines Ott, Clos Mireille, Côtes de Provence 

(70% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 10% Syrah) 14% abv (RRP GBP 34.99) Clos Mireille is one of 3 estates owned by Domaines Ott. This location benefits from the proximity to the sea and the clay soil.


2014 Château Léoube, Rosé de Léoube, Côtes de Provence 

(40% Grenache, 40% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre) 13% abv (RRP GBP 14.50) Château Léoube in Bormes-les-Mimosas (65 hectares of vineyard with mainly schist and clay soils with another 20 hectares for olive trees) is owned by Sir Anthony Bamford (also owner of Daylesford Organic, itself a very successful sustainable farm in the UK). Winemaker is Romain Ott. The château has 3 rosé wines: Rosé de Léoube, Secret de Léoube and the latest addition of Léoube La Londe made from a selection of the estate's best old vines, low-yielding (less than 35 hl/ha) with 50% Grenache and 50% Cinsault (only 1,500 bottles produced for the latter and this Super Rosé retails at around EUR 38). The estate is certified organic and follows biodynamic approach in respecting the life cycles of its vines and fruit to achieve balance, as well as an integrated pest management approach to nurture biodiversity in its natural habit.

2014 Domaine Sainte Lucie MIP (Made in Provence) Classic Rosé, Côtes de Provence 

(60% Cinsault, 20% Syrah, 20% Grenache) 12.5% abv (RRP GBP 11.95)The estate at the foot of Mont Saint Victoire in Puyloubier, near Aix-en-Provence, was created by Michel Fabre in 1979. Now joined by Guillaume, Virginie and Aurelien, their children, who contributed to fresh input in the way wines were made by the introduction of technology to optimise freshness of fruit in the vinification process and to prevent oxidation in the bottling line. The Classic Rosé vinification: immediate pressing followed by fermentation, with 4 months on fine lees.


2014 Château Pibarnon, Bandol 

(40% Cinsault, 60% Mourvèdre) 13% abv (RRP GBP 21.99)
The secret of Pibarnon's wines lies in the complex alchemy of its local soil: a unique Triassic limestone soil (rich in fossils and with subsoil of Santonian blue clays) born of a particular geological characteristic which perfectly regulates the flow of water to the vineyard, a brilliant grape variety, Mourvèdre, and an altitude of more than 300 metres above sea level, matched by microclimates offered by the natural amphitheatre. For this rosé, the Cinsault is pressed directly and only free run Mourvedre (saignée) is used after several hours of skin contact. Co-fermented at around 22 degrees Celsius.  Aged 6 months in stainless steel tanks.

2014 Domaine Tempier, Bandol 

(Around 50% Mourvèdre, Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan) 13.5% abv (RRP GBP 23.75)

Must is obtained by direct press or press after cold maceration (12 degrees Celsius) or by saignée (5 - 10%).

2014 Domaine de La Ribotte, Cuvée Anais, Bandol 

(90% Mourvèdre, 10% Grenache) 13.5% abv (RRP GBP 14.99)


2014 Chêne Bleu, Vaucluse 

(60% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 5% Cinsault) 13% abv (RRP GBP 17.99)The estate is situated at high altitude in the Dentelles de Montmiral, near Gigondas.


2014 Château La Sauvageonne, Coteaux du Languedoc, Gérard Bertrand 

(Grenache, Syrah) (RRP GBP 12.99)The 40-ha vineyard is located northwest of Montpellier, at an altitude of 300 metres on the Larzac terraces. Achieved biodynamic status in 2013. The soils are based on three types of rock, sandstone, schist and ‘ruffe’. The region’s subsoil is rich in water and also in aluminium or bauxite. The ‘ruffe’ which predominates in many of the plots is very rich in minerals. The climate is hot and humid.


I ought to also make mention of some of the non-French selections by Richard that I thought were worth considering. They included 2014 Segura Viudas, Clos Juvència, DO Catalunya, Spain (RRP GBP 12), 2014 Niepoort Redoma Rosé, Douro (RRP GBP 14.99), 2013 Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosato, Sicily (RRP GBP 12.45), 2014 Ritual Terrazzas, Valle de Casablanca, Chile (RRP GBP 15). From the Château d'Esclans/Domaines Sacha Lichine range, I gave Garrus (happens to be the top of the range) the highest score, but with a price tag of GBP 99.80, it does not offer the same price-quality ratio for the sensible consumer.


Richard had summarised the scores from the 45 tasters who submitted their scores at this tasting: 13 of the top-scoring 14 wines were from Provence or nearby, the only exception being Château Brown from Bordeaux. In fact, in the top 20 wines, only one other wine was from outside the south of France - Turkey Flat from the Barossa Valley in South Australia. Château Léoube was the most successful producer, with its 3 wines submitted all ranked in the top 7.  Voilà!