Two to enjoy: A special Garganega and a delicious Syrah Rosé from the Rhone.

Two to enjoy: A special Garganega 

and a delicious Syrah Rosé from the Rhone.

Angiolino Maule, La Biancara, Masieri Bianco Garganega Veneto (IGT) 2021, 12.0% ABV

€20.95 Grainstore Wine Pop-Up Ballymaloe, 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

La Biancara, the vineyard, was “born” in the end of 80s, when pizza makers Angiolino and Rosamaria Maule bought a small plot of land, about six hectares, in the hills of Gambellara (a town in the Veneto). Since the beginning, they worked to develop their personal idea of wine; a wine created by the exaltation of nature, without chemical interferences in wineyard or in cellar, in order to obtain the highest expression of terroir in every bottle. 

Vino Italiano, which praises the vineyard (as does the World Atlas of Wine), says it could be argued that the (white) wines are purer expressions of Garganega than those of neighbouring Soave (where the grape dominates). Garganega is thought by some to be related to the Greco (another Mediterranean grape that I favour) of southern Italy.

Serve at approximately 10 Celsius with mussels, scallops, lobster, a variety of fish, tofu and grilled poultry. Herbs such as tarragon and chives will help highlight the green notes in the wine.

Straw is the colour of this 2021 white, predominantly Garganega but with  a ”drop of Trebbiano”. It is slightly clouded (they neither filter nor fine the wine). Aromas are delicate, floral notes and also tart lemon, lime and tangerine. Acidity is quite lively in this full bodied wine and there’s a fine finish as well. Very Highly Recommended. Serve at approximately 10 Celsius with mussels, scallops, lobster, a variety of fish, tofu and grilled poultry. Herbs such as tarragon and chives will help highlight the green notes in the wine.

They also produce a superb red, usually found with the white!

*********

Yves Cuilleron “Sybel” Syrah Rosé Vin du France 2020, 13.5%

€18.95 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny 

If you’re looking for a delicious dry rosé for slightly meatier fare or as these sunny (?) days turn to chilly evenings, look no further than this ruddy (should I say bloody?) Rhone rosé by maestro Yves Cuilleron.

Ruddy may be pushing it a bit but the colour of this bottle is a more robust pink than you normally see, thanks to the producer employing the “saignée” method (see below). It is produced from 100% Syrah grown “within the confines of the village of Chavanay in the Northern Rhone”.  

It is pretty to look at and the aromatics are promising if relatively delicate. Then the serious berry flavours kick in big time on the palate, quite an impressive amalgam of strawberries, cherries and raspberries all wrapped in a Syrah spice. So good, so well balanced, bright and fresh, this is one to look out for this summer (or perhaps its extension). Highly Recommended.

Saignée (means bleeding) is a unique style of rosé wine because it is so often bolder and darker in colour than any other rosé wine. If you’re not a fan of traditional rosé, you might like it because it’s “bigger, darker, and stronger than other wimpy pink wines”, according to Wine Folly. “Saignée also describes a method of rosé winemaking that involves ‘bleeding’ off a portion of red wine juice after it’s been in contact with the skins and seeds.”

See more (just a little!) on the subject here 

Yves Cuilleron initially worked as an engineer before being hit by the wine bug at age 26. He went to train at Ecole Viticole of Macon for a year then came back home, at the foot of Condrieu and Côte Rotie hills, and took over the family’s 3.5-ha estate.Importers Le Caveau are big fans. “The return of Yves Cuilleron to resuscitate his uncle’s farm is not only significant for a single individual or domaine. His efforts to return the region’s wines to global prominence will save the area’s vineyards from fading back into the hills and help to breathe life back into Condrieu, Côte-Rotie, and other corners of the northern Rhone.”

Geek Bits

Soil: Granite terroir.

Style: Rosé de Saignée

Grape: Syrah

Winery: Vinified and matured in barrique and in tank.

A couple of summertime beauties, Prosecco and Rosé, from O'Briens Wine

A couple of summertime beauties, Prosecco and Rosé, from O'Briens Wine

Proverbio Prosecco (DOC) Organic Extra Dry,  11%, €16.95, was 20.45  O’Brien’s Nationwide.

Very light straw colour on this organic and vegan friendly Prosecco and there is a fine head of bubbles with more rushing up to join in. White peach, apple and pear feature in the aromatics, a hint of yeast too, pretty typical of the Glera grape.  

It is fruity and sparkling, soft and fresh with an in-your-face acidity. Recommended as an aperitif (and I can confirm that) and also as a wonderful pairing with oriental cuisine (I’ll have to get another bottle to confirm that one!). Very Highly Recommended.

The producers, The Wine People, had a bit of fun with the name. While Proverbio is Italian for Proverb, it also incorporates three elements that describe the wine well: PRO for Prosecco DOC, VER for Vero (Truly) and BIO for Biologico (Organic).

Wine Folly advises that an extra dry style “is a great place to start with Prosecco”. “You’ll find the best wines come from the hilly areas..around Treviso and Colli Asolani, where the vines produce more concentrated grapes.”

Glera is the grape for Prosecco and indeed it was generally known as Prosecco.  But, a few years back, the growers association changed the name and were thereby enabled, according to Grapes & Wine, to legally “protect the Prosecco name from being used elsewhere in the world”.

Wine-Searcher.com tell us: “Italian wine produced from Glera is almost always either frizzante (fizzy) or spumante (fully sparkling). A few still wines are also made from Glera…”

You probably know that Prosecco is made by the Charmat method. This uses a second fermentation in a large stainless steel tank to trap carbonation in wine. In the Méthode Champenoise, the second fermentation happens inside the individual bottles in which the wines are sold. More on these methods here. 

The bottle weight is bit more than usual, as it the case with most sparkling wines (because of the contents being under pressure). The squat shape is also not usual; this particular one is more like a port bottle and not very different from some of the aged Redbreast bottles.

Château Gairoird Organic Rosé Côtes de Provence (AP) 2020, 13%, €14.96 (was 19.95)

This organic rosé from Provence, a blend that includes Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah, has a very pale salmon colour. Quite aromatic with, for me, strawberry leading the charge, also notes of grapefruit and white peach. Strawberry also on the full flavoured palate, raspberry too. By the way, the flavours are quite vigorous, far from the delicate that you sometimes find in rosé. It has good balance too. Plus a refreshing finish from this dry and elegant wine.  Highly Recommended

Perhaps this is more suited to table rather than aperitif duty.  A veal blanquette, cheeses, crab fritters, tuna tartare, grilled salmon, linguine with tomato and olive sauce, are among the dishes suggested.

Here is an extra use for it, one that came about more or less by accident. There was a little of this wine left over towards the end, close to a glass. There was also a little drop of the marvellous Viking Blackcurrant Liqueur in the fridge so I introduced them to each other and this improvised Kir turned out to be quite a treat.You know of course that the traditional Kir is made with white wine and creme de cassis (blackcurrant).

O’Brien’s, the distributors, tell us the Pierrefeu family has owned this estate since 1824 and have farmed it organically for the last ten years. The estate has a maritime climate and benefits from a sea breeze every day which keeps the grapes healthy and disease free without the need for spraying, this is a deliciously elegant textbook Provence. The terroir is classic Provence with free-draining, chalky-clay soil dotted with galets and, with wonderful echoes of Jean de Florette, the Château has its own ‘source’.

Rosé. From Near And Far.

A Rhone rose. Photo from a show
 in the Papal Palace in Avignon.

 Rosé. From Far And Near. 

Willunga 100 Grenache Rosé McLaren Vale 2020 12.5%

RRP €19.99 Baggot Street Wines : Barnhill Stores :  Fresh – Smithfield/Grand Canal: Red Island Wine Co : Sweeney's D3 : The Parting Glass : wineonline.ie

Pale salmon pink is the colour of this one, so pale you think (well at least I did) it’s almost grey. Strawberry is the classic aroma in this Grenache area and our McLaren Vale doesn’t disappoint in that, just-ripe strawberries and hints of blossom. An amazingly fresh acidity features on the palate, keeping the wine (apple, citrus, melon) in balance and there follows a long and very dry finish. Highly Recommended - don’t judge a wine by its colour.

The colour is explained by a vintage note. The hand-picked fruit was destemmed into a fermenter to drain for three to four hours, care was taken to minimise excessive colour extraction to keep the wine as pale as possible. The juice was settled, racked and then fermented in stainless steel using a neutral yeast strain. The wine was chilled post-fermentation and spent a further four months on lees, with regular stirring to build texture.

Importers Liberty: Fruit for this McLaren Vale rosé is sourced from 53-year old bush vines, which gives the wine beautiful concentration and its classic strawberry and red cherry aromas.

Many of us would think, because Australia is a relatively new wine country, that it has no old vines. But it has, quite a few of them. Grenache was one of the original varieties to be planted in Australia in the early 18th century and, up until 1960, was one of the most widely planted grapes.

The producers say Grenache has a wonderfully diverse flavour profile that changes from site to site, and throughout its life in bottle. “It was this sensitivity to site that attracted us to Grenache when we first started Willunga 100 back in 2005. At the time, few people took Grenache seriously, but we loved the gnarly old vines in McLaren Vale that produced outstanding fruit. Our vision was to make contemporary, premium wines with a focus on Grenache, and we’re proud to say, that’s exactly what we’ve done.”

And this rosé is one of them! 

Perrin Nature Côtes Du Rhône Rose (AOC) 2020

RRP €21.99 The Corkscrew : wineonline.ie

This pale salmon coloured organic rose is produced by Famille Perrin, the fruit coming from their Le Grand Prébois vineyard  in Orange. It is a blend of Cinsault, Grenache noir, Mourvèdre and Syrah. The aromas are also a “blend”, of fruit (red) and floral notes. Beautiful radiant and fresh fruit flavours on the palate where a superb acidity also plays a key role. Delicious from start to finish, this is Highly Recommended. Serve cold, with light cuisine, Mediterranean dishes, but also as an aperitif with friends.

The 2020 vintage in Southern Rhône was favoured by very good weather conditions and it was also a generous one. The harvest, which was fairly early, began under very good conditions. “The very healthy,  beautiful juicy and very ripe grapes had reasonable alcohol levels, good acidity and already a great balance.”

The Perrin family started farming organically in 1950 at Château de Beaucastel (quite close to Le Grand Prébois ) with the strong belief that it helps to express the sense of place in the finished wine. It is therefore of little surprise that their philosophy has led to the creation of an organic range of wines sourced from the family’s certified vineyards across the Côtes-du-Rhône region.

Ten years ago, I drove into Tavel, the small southern Rhone town, under a banner declaring: “Tavel. Best Rosé in France.” I was delighted to be there and enjoyed sampling the wines, the rosés (only rosés in this appellation). The first one I tasted was no less than 14% abv.

A 2019 article in Wine Spectator declared that Tavel was about rosé before rosé was cool and went on to point out that it has fallen down the pecking order with the lighter coloured Provence equivalents (rarely as dark or as strong as their Tavel rivals), in their ever fancier bottles, now heading the list of desirable pinks! And that seems to be true here in Ireland where you seldom see Tavel. 

Do you remember Mateus Rosé? Here’s to Rosé, Rós, Rosado, even Pink!

Do you remember Mateus Rosé?

Here’s to Rosé, Rós, Rosado, even Pink! 

Back to the rosé theme again, a very pleasant one, for this post. For the past few weeks, I’ve been telling you about various rosés from the South of France, mostly from Provence and the Languedoc. This post we’ll take a taste of two from outside of that country, one from Italy and one from Spain, both imported and distributed by O'Briens Wine.

Did you remember what started you on this style of wine? I can tell you that I started with Mateus Rosé and its unusual flask bottle shape (made an attractive candle holder!). It was at one point the best-selling imported wine in the U.S. market and was indeed very popular here in Ireland a few decades ago, mainly in the 70s. It is still very much on the market and you can buy a bottle for around €10.99 in supermarkets. The Portuguese wine is produced from Baga and Shiraz grapes.

The fact that we have a Spanish one below reminds me of a 2012 trip to Rioja, to the famous wine town of Haro and to the old premises of R. Lopez de Heredia Viña Tondonia in particular. I was taken with their aged whites, the Viña Gravonia Crianza 2002 and the Viña Tondonia Reserva 1996, and bought some of each.

Sampling in Vina Tondonia

But there was still some disappointment when I left. I had been hoping to get their famous Viña Tondonia Rosado Gran Reserva, another aged wine, but there was none available and, because it is not made every year, I was told “none will be available for another year or two”.  The current vintage that is available from the winery (perhaps not in Ireland) as far as I can see is 2011. If you come across it or a later vintage of this rosé do buy a few and include one for meë

Not surprising that you can find rosés all over the wine world. Indeed, many winemakers produce just enough for themselves. Back in 2013, I visited Chateau du Petit Thouars near Chinon. At that point, they had yet to harvest their first Chenin Blanc and every wine they had was produced from Cabernet Franc and that line-up included a very agreeable rosé.

Not quite in the same league, sales wise, as Whispering Angel and its sister Rock Angel (both available from O’Briens) or the many celebrity rosés such as the Bongiovi’s Hampton Water, or bottles from Sarah Jessica Parker, Sting, Kylie Minogue and Drew Barrymore. Rosé’s popularity continues to grow. According to winemag.com, referencing Nelson data, sales in the US grew by 40% from 2018 to 2019.

 

Pasqua “11 minutes” Rosé Trevenezie (IGT) 2020, €14.21 (18.95), O'Briens Wine.

Quite a mix of local and international grapes in this delicious Pasqua Rosé from Verona. The name refers to the minutes of skin contact (which give the wine its delicate and subtle colour, aromas and overall style). Just under the “11 Minutes” I noted these words Odi et Amo. Not Italian but Latin and meaning “I hate and I love”. I wonder why the three words have such a prominent position!

I brought a magnum to a back-garden party and four of the five present gave it a big thumbs up; the fifth started and stayed with the beer! It was our first little get together since the recent lockdown ended so there was more talk than note-taking. 

The pale, very pale, salmon colour was the first talking point. Also mentioned around the table were the beautiful (if mild) aromas on the nose. The fine fruity (strawberry, raspberry) flavours as well, along with the refreshing acidity and the pleasing dry and crisp finish, also drew the kudos.

Hiding in plain sight..

Think I’ll now let the vineyard have its say: “The Corvina varietal, which dominates in terms of percentage, was chosen for the floral aromas as well as the significant acidity it gives to the wine. Trebbiano brings elegance and a long finish; Syrah gives fine fruit and spice notes to the glass and finally, Carménère creates structure, ensuring stability over time. This a fresh, enveloping rosé with an intense and complex bouquet, created to accompany spring or summer evenings and more.”

This relatively new rosé interpretation by Famiglia Pasqua has been much awarded, including a recent 91 points from Decanter. Served chilled, between 10 and 12°C, it is ideal as an aperitif and as an accompaniment to the most delicate dishes (eg salad, fish and white meat). 

You will notice a circular opening on the front label and if you look that bit harder you will see a classical lady seemingly in the body of the wine. The technique is not unique in the industry but can be quite a talking point. No magic here, though. The head and shoulders you are seeing is on the inside of the back label.

Rós Rosado Navarra (DO) 2020, 14.5%, €12.71 (€16.95)

O'Briens Wine

The darkest, and the strongest, of my recent set of six O’Briens rosés is a Spanish-Irish cooperation. All the info is given, very concisely, on the back label. The two words to note most are Alicia and Lynne. 

Alicia and Lynne are the wine-makers, Alicia from Tandem and Lynne from O’Brien Wines. Lynne is the Wine Director at O’Briens and made this rosé with Alicia Eyaralar, founder and wine-maker at Tandem (not to far from Pamplona in Navarra). It is an ongoing partnership. I’m quite happy to admit to having a grá for the wines of Tandem, many of which are available from O’Briens.

The is produced from Garnacha grapes grown in sustainably farmed vineyards in the cooler Yerri Valley close to the Pyrenees and the Atlantic Ocean. After hand-picking and a short skin maceration, the grapes are fermented using wild vineyard yeasts and a minimal intervention regime follows in the winery. 

Colour is a deepish rose, with orange hints. Strawberry and raspberry on the nose and those summer fruits also feature in a most pleasant way on the dry and crisp palate. Indeed, this is one of the most flavoursome rosés on the market. Pretty decent finish too. If you don’t fancy anaemic looking and weak tasting rosés, then try Rós from the other end of the spectrum.

Handy wine to have in the house these days. Excellent as an aperitif and welcome for sure at the summer table in the garden. 

This is the selection or rosés that are reduced by 25% by O’Briens Wine:

Revino PostCard Organic Pinot Grigio 2020 Veneto €11.96

Delheim Pinotage 2020 Stellenbosch €10.46

Petit Bourgeois Pinot Noir 2019/20 €11.96 Loire Valley

Langlois Rosé D’Anjou 2020 €11.96 Loire Valley

Pasqua 11 Minutes 2020 €14.21 Veneto*

Laurent Miquel Les Auzines Alaina €12.71 Languedoc Roussillon*

MiMi en Provence Grande Réserve 2020 €14.96 Côtes de Provence

Gérard Bertrand Côte des Roses 2020 €14.21 Languedoc Roussillon*

Famille Bougrier 2020 €10.46 Loire Valley

Domaine L’Ostal 2020 €11.96 Languedoc Roussillon*

Château de Gairoird 2020 €14.21 Côtes de Provence*

Rós Rosé 2020 €12.71 Navarra*

Passe Colline Rosé Ventoux 2020 €11.21 Rhone

Previous posts covered four of the selection of samples. You’ll find the reviews on the Gairoird and the Bertrand here, those on the Laurent Miquel and JM Cazes here.

Never Say No To Rosé. Bouquet drenched in Sunshine. Aromas of the Garrigue. Suave and Gourmet.

Once In Provence

O'Briens Rosé Summer Offer. All Summer!

Once in Provence - well I was there just the once - I thought I should get a bottle of rosé for a fish meal back at the gite that summer’s evening. 

It was mid-afternoon and I was visiting Roussillon, the reddest town in France. Red, not because of its politics, but because of the red/yellow/orange colour of its buildings, most constructed from the local ochre stone - you could see, from the town, the bright slashes of a quarry in the area.

As you might expect, the young man in the wine shop had quite a selection. After a chat, he offered the bottle that his family favoured and it turned out very well indeed. Just before we drove out of the carpark, I took a photo of the newly acquired rosé lying on the local soil.

The local soil adds colour to this rosé

One begins drinking with the eyes, they say down there, the beauty enhanced by the glass. That bouquet drenched in sunshine. Aromatic notes of the hot and dry garrigue (herbs, spices, fruit). The taste suave and gourmet. They can really sell wine in these parts! 

Perhaps the best sell of all comes from an unexpected quarter: from the monks of Via Caritatas. They have produced a rosé that “addresses itself to the soul… Silence is the only thing that suits.” Check it all out here on this short video from the winery. Thanks to their Gabriel Teissier, I have tasted their beautiful Lux red but not that tempting rosé Lux de Cælo!

Came across quite a lot of rosé that Provence trip, including some at the famous Tavel (on the Rhone). Mostly though we bought and drank the pink from the ladies of Mas de la Dame (spoken of by Nostradamus, painted by Van Gogh, its wines recommended by Mary Dowey, three legends there!). 

The Mas rosé was popular in the restaurants around Arles (our base) and the vineyard itself was in easy reach and so we called and bought wine at the farm in Les Baux de Provence, a charming medieval village perched atop a rocky outcrop near where Anne Poniatowski and Caroline Missoffe, the current “dames”, continue to make excellent wines (not available in Ireland as far as I know).

Chateau Gairoird Organic Rose Côtes de Provence (AP) 2020, 13%, €14.21 (18.95)

This organic rosé from Provence has a very pale salmon colour. Quite aromatic with, for me, strawberry leading the charge, also notes of grapefruit and white peach. Strawberry also on the full flavoured palate, good balance too. Plus a decently long finish. Perhaps this is more suited to table rather than aperitif duty with a veal blanquette, cheeses, crab fritters, tuna tartare, grilled salmon, linguine with tomato and olive sauce, among the dishes suggested. Serve at 12 degrees.

Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah are among the grapes used in this blend. This Côtes de Provence rosé is all about the blend and up to 10 other varieties (including Rolle and Tibouren and mostly in tiny proprortions) may go into this wine.

O’Brien’s tell us the Pierrefeu family has owned this estate since 1824 and have farmed it organically for the last ten years. The estate has a maritime climate and benefits from a sea breeze every day which keeps the grapes healthy and disease free without the need for spraying, this is a deliciously elegant textbook Provence. The terroir is classic Provence with free-draining, chalky-clay soil dotted with galets and, with wonderful echoes of Jean de Florette, the Château has its own ‘source’.

While this rosé from Provence has nothing much more by way of colour than a blush hue, a recent edition of Wine Enthusiast reports, that in recent vintages the local rosé in Provence has “gotten exactly what it needed: more color.” 

Gérard Bertrand Côte des Roses Languedoc 2020 13.5%, €14.21 (18.95)

The "sculptured" base of the Bertrand.

Another impressive bottle from the Languedoc. There’s a rose on the neck (top) and the bottom has been “sculpted” into a rose shape (above).

Glass closure

So how does the wine shape up? Quite well actually as you’d expect from Gérard Bertrand who played rugby well and now makes wines well. The colour is a soft pale rose, with a hint of grey. Aromas are delicate, of red summer fruit (strawberry and cherry) and blossom too. With its generous rounded mouthfeel, the freshness and fruitiness on the palate, it is all the better to match your grilled white meat, white fish or Mediterranean style summer salads or just as an aperitif as you and your friend shoot the breeze and smell the back garden roses.

This blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault, certainly looks, and tastes, well enough to give as a gift when calling to a friend and don’t forget to get one for yourself as well. 

Summer Long Rosé Offers at O'Briens Wine

Revino PostCard Organic Pinot Grigio 2020 Veneto €11.96

Delheim Pinotage 2020 Stellenbosch €10.46

Petit Bourgeois Pinot Noir 2019/20 €11.96 Loire Valley

Langlois Rosé D’Anjou 2020 €11.96 Loire Valley

Pasqua 11 Minutes 2020 €14.21 Veneto

Laurent Miquel Les Auzines Alaina €12.71 Languedoc Roussillon

MiMi en Provence Grande Réserve 2020 €14.96 Côtes de Provence

Gérard Bertrand Côte des Roses 2020 €14.21 Languedoc Roussillon

Famille Bougrier 2020 €10.46 Loire Valley

Domaine L’Ostal 2020 €11.96 Languedoc Roussillon

Château de Gairoird 2020 €14.21 Côtes de Provence

Rós Rosé 2020 €12.71 Navarra

Passe Colline Rosé Ventoux 2020 €11.21 Rhone

See previous post on the Alaina and L'Ostal here.

Rosé Season Declared Open. O'Briens Wine celebrate with twenty five per cent off!

 O'Briens Wine Declare Rosé Season Open. 

And celebrate with twenty five per cent off!

To celebrate the season, O'Briens Wine have 25% off a selected range of rosé wines, from elegant Provence to rich Cabernet d'Anjou, and glorious Grenache to South African Pinotage. “Our award-winning rosé wine range offers diverse wine styles, grape varieties and countries with something for all tastes and budgets.”

But nothing from Tavel! Ten years ago, I drove into the small southern Rhone town under a banner declaring: “Tavel. Best Rosé in France.” I was delighted to be there and enjoyed sampling the wines, the rosés (only rosés in this appellation). The first one I tasted was no less than 14% abv.

A 2019 article in Wine Spectator declared that Tavel was about rosé before rosé was cool and went on to point out that it has fallen down the pecking order with the lighter coloured Provence equivalents (rarely as dark or as strong as their Tavel rivals), in their ever fancier bottles, now heading the list of desirable pinks! And that seems to be true here in Ireland. No Tavel on the extensive O’Briens list! And no shortage of bottles from Provence. Nor the Languedoc which follows the Provence model.

“We love the arrival of the new rosé wine vintages in O'Briens, as it heralds the imminent beginning of summer and al fresco dining in the garden. Once again the O’Briens Wine buying team have been busy sourcing the finest rosés from boutique and family-run wineries around the world.”

Laurent Miquel “Alaina” Rosé Languedoc (AOP) 2020, 12.5% abv, €12.71 (16.95). 

Colour is a delicate pink,  a result of the brief skin contact with the red Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault grapes in the blend. Aromas too are delicate, barely a tickle of red berries. It comes stirringly fresh (night-time harvesting a factor) on the palate, strawberry flavours and a refreshing acidity give it an unexpected power that softly purrs its way to a lengthy finish. Refreshing and dry, my first rosé of the current season is highly recommended.

This is produced in the Languedoc by Laurent Miquel and his Irish wife Neasa. They say: From the sun-drenched terrace, we love watching our daughter Alaina playing in this magical place. She enjoys the breeze from the wildflower fields, listening to the cicada’s singing and skipping stones across the lake. Join us for a promenade that epitomises the South of France.

Château Auzines is nestled on a plateau at 350m altitude. The wines produced here express the character of the terroir. Warm, sunny days and relatively cold nights, coupled with surrounding aromatic garrigue (scrubland) plants, impart a distinctive set of flavours to the wines.

Food: Much rosé is sipped as an aperitif and this fits that bill easily. But you’ll find that salads, chicken and sea fruit also go well with this. Try it also with ethnic dishes, Thai and Japanese for example. Serving temperature is between 12 and 14°C.

JM Cazes L’Ostal Rosé Pays D’Oc (IGT) 2020, 12.5% abv, €11.96 (15.95) 

This dry crisp rosé also comes from the Languedoc, between Carcassonne and Narbonne. Colour is a pale version of rosé. Aromas are delicate, pomegranate and strawberry, and rose petals. And you get much the same combination on the palate with strawberries taking more of a leading role in the flavours. It is subtle, light and fresh all the way to the finish. A pleasant and refreshing drink that could well play a supporting role both before and during the BBQ (hope we’ll have lots of them this summer!).

Virtually every wine area in France has its own rosé and I certainly enjoyed a few in the long evenings at our gite (owned by Madame Garrigue by the way) in Nevian (just outside Narbonne) a few years back. More recently I was staying in Arcachon. The enclosed waters here produce oysters by the tonne and it’s terrific to call in to one of the producers on the way back from a day out where ten euro or so will buy you a plateful along with bread. 

You just pull up at the fisherman’s hut and order your plate. A glass of wine is included of course and I got a surprise when our man asked if I wanted white or pink. Think it was the first, and only, time that I’ve heard a Frenchman use pink for rosé! That pink was certainly dry enough for the oysters and this more worthy L’Ostal would easily carry off that role.

The Domaine de L’Ostal, with vineyards sloping up to 150 metres in altitude, is situated in one of the finest terroirs of the Languedoc region. The Lynch-Bages family,  who own estates in many areas, are perhaps best-known for their wines from Pauillac in Bordeaux.  From 1749 to 1824, that vineyard was owned by Thomas Lynch, the son of an Irishman from Galway who worked as a merchant in Bordeaux. 

* Plan to have another post or two on rosé over the next few weeks.

Here is the list of rosés on reduction for the summer (or until they're gone!):

Revino PostCard Organic Pinot Grigio 2020 Veneto €11.96 

Delheim Pinotage 2020 Stellenbosch €10.46

Petit Bourgeois Pinot Noir 2019/20 €11.96 Loire Valley

Langlois Rosé D’Anjou 2020 €11.96 Loire Valley

Pasqua 11 Minutes 2020 €14.21 Veneto

Laurent Miquel Les Auzines Alaina €12.71 Languedoc Roussillon

MiMi en Provence Grande Réserve 2020 €14.96 Côtes de Provence

Gérard Bertrand Côte des Roses 2020 €14.21 Languedoc Roussillon

Famille Bougrier 2020 €10.46 Loire Valley

Domaine L’Ostal 2020 €11.96 Languedoc Roussillon

Château de Gairoird 2020 €14.21 Côtes de Provence

Rós Rosé 2020 €12.71 Navarra

Passe Colline Rosé Ventoux 2020 €11.21 Rhone