Wine & Spirits - August 2020 - 49

YEAR'S BEST PROVENÇAL ROSÉS
estate in La Londe Les Maures to organics
long before it became trendy, attaining certification in 2003. Their attentive farming produced a bright, balanced 2019. A pale blend
of grenache, cinsault and syrah, it's rich and
creamy in its red berry flavor, and zesty in
its acidity, finishing dry and clean. § Dreyfus,
Ashby & Co., NY
277510

90 | Château Canadel

$38

2018 Bandol Rosé ^ Winemaker Laure Benoist and her husband, Vianney, an agronomist, took over this 37-acre estate in 2009;
they released their first wines in 2014. We
called out the couple for their early releases
in our 2018 Wineries to Watch, and this latest rosé shows them building on their initial
success. A blend of just 50 percent mour-
vèdre with 40 percent cinsault and 10 percent grenache, it's on the light side of Bandol rosé, with pale, herb-inflected notes of
cherry, orange and cantaloupe. But the texture is rich, with a glycerin smoothness that
will make a sumptuous backdrop for grilled
squid or stuffed tomatoes. § De Maison Selections, Chapel Hill, NC
277773

90 | Mathilde Chapoutier

$25

2019 Côtes de Provence Grand Ferrage ^ This is a restrained, elegant rosé from
the daughter of Rhône-producer Michel
Chapoutier. It's dusty pink, while the flavors
give a fresh and pure impression with enough
tart cranberry fruit and orange-toned acidity
to stand up to salt-baked fish. § Terlato Wines
Int'l, Lake Bluff, IL
277821

90 | Gassier

$23

2019 Côtes de Provence Esprit Gassier ^
Esprit comes from the vineyards at the foot of
Mount Sainte Victoire. A blend of grenache,
cinsault, syrah and rolle, it offers more flavor than the pale pink color predicts: Bright,
limey acidity and wild-strawberry notes are
underlined by the savor of wet stone and garrigue. It's ready to pair with an herb omelet. §
Wilson Daniels, St. Helena, CA
277273

90 | Château Minuty

$33

2019 Côtes de Provence Prestige Rosé ^
Minuty's most well-known rosé, this is a
blend from two estate vineyards, one near
the sea and the other inland, near the Massif des Maures. A blend of grenache with
cinsault, tibouren and syrah, it feels vibrant
and precise, the flavors of cherry and lime
refreshed by oceanic salinity. (W&S 6/20) §
Vintus, Pleasantville, NY
277640

90 | Domaines Ott

$55

90 | Peyrassol

$26

2019 Bandol Château Romassan ^ From the
Ott's Bandol estate, this mourvèdre-based
rosé is as pretty as its pale pink hue. It starts
out quiet, with scents of strawberries and
cream, then grows more assertive, the ripeness of the fruit showing in juicy wild-strawberry notes and a hint of tropical fruit flavor.
It's soft and gentle, with a quiet richness to
match its trademark curvy bottle. § Maisons
Marques & Domaines USA, Oakland, CA
277738
2019 Côtes de Provence ^ Set deep in the
Var, the Commanderie de Peyrassol estate
encompasses some 2,347 acres, with 230
of those planted to vines. This rosé comes
from some of the property's oldest plantings, blending syrah, cinsault, grenache, ugni
blanc and rolle. Vinified entirely in stainless
steel, it's pale and delicate, with a balance
of lime and strawberry flavors that suggests
pairing it with fish tacos and guacamole. §
Rosenthal Wine Merchant, NY
277808

90 | Château de Roquefort $22

2019 Côtes de Provence Corail ^ A perennial standout, Corail is on point in 2019,
with subtle scents of rose petals and salt
air, and tangy, fresh strawberry flavor. Raimond de Villeneuve blends it from a range
of grapes (syrah, grenache, carignan, cinsault
and mourvèdre, as well as vermentino and
clairette), all farmed biodynamically at his
estate on the edge of Bandol. § V.O.S. Selections, NY
277617

89 | Maison Saleya

$15

2019 Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence Rosé
(Best Buy) ^ A bright purple-pink hue, this
is a fresh, bold rosé priced for picnic drinking. Blended from grenache and cinsault, it's
both herbal and fruity, a simple refresher for
salty ham on buttered baguettes. § Kobrand,
Purchase, NY
277836

88 | La Bernarde

$16

88 | Bieler Père et Fils

$14

88 | Domaine
	 de la Fouquette

$15

88 | Pur Azur

$15

2019 Côtes de Provence Les Hauts de Luc
Rosé (Best Buy) ^ In 2015, the Austruy family
of Commanderie de Peyrassol acquired this
adjacent property, 49 acres on clay and limestone slopes. After substantial replanting and
conversion to organic farming, they've begun
putting out a small range of affordable wines,
like this rosé, a blend of mostly cinsault, with
grenache, mourvèdre, rolle and syrah. It's as
juicy as a slice of cold watermelon, with an
edge of the vegetal notes near the rind, and
a little spice of alcohol on the finish. Give it
a chill for herbed crab cakes. § Rosenthal Wine
Merchant, NY/Skurnik Wines & Spirits, NY
277748
2019 Coteaux d'Aix en Provence Sabine
(Best Buy) ^ This is terrific at the price: a
bright, fresh rosé with just enough fruit to
be friendly, and plenty of acidity to keep it
dry and refreshing. § Skurnik Wines & Spirits,
NY/ Trinchero Family Estates, St. Helena, CA
277730

2019 Côtes de Provence Cuvée Rosée
d'Aurore (Best Buy) ^ From a 35-acre organically farmed estate in Les Mayons, this blend
of grenache, cinsault and rolle is cheerful and
easy, with sweet cherry flavors and bright
grapefruit-like acidity. § Regal Wine Imports,
Moorestown, NJ
277683
2019 Côtes de Provence (Best Buy) ^ From
négociant Florian Mathieu, this strawberrypink rosé is satisfying in its full-bodied texture and light, fresh-berried flavors. For backyard sipping. § M.S. Walker, Somerville, MA

88 | Amble + Chase $19/4-can box

2019 Méditerranée Rosé (Best Buy) ^ Here's
a canned wine that's worth pouring into a
glass, so you can appreciate the carnationpink color, and smell the clean strawberry
fruit. But it's also just fine cracked open at the
campsite, and drunk up with sardines on Triscuits. Clean, savory and strawberry-tinged,
with refreshing acidity, it's a total win. § Craft
+ Estate/Winebow Imports, NY
277737

277687

87 | Domaine
de Figueirasse

$15

2018 Sable de Camargue Gris de Gris Vin
des Sables (Best Buy) ^ This reflects the soft,
sandy soils of the Camargue Delta in its
plush, gentle texture and baked-cherry flavors. Give it a chill to bring out the acidity,
and pour with olive fougasse. § North Berkeley
Imports, Berkeley, CA n
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AUGUST 2020

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Wine & Spirits - August 2020

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