Here’s what to look for when buying Provence Rosé
We all know what those first glimpses of warm sunshine mean for us Brits. Suddenly the green spaces of London are filled with pasty, sun-craving bodies jostling elbow-to-elbow for a hit of vitamin D. Pubs and cafes fortunate enough to reside on the sunny side of the street overflow come lunchtime. Rosé season is upon us.
As much as I adore a darker shade of pink (oh yes, send me your dusky deep Tavels that bloom so richly from the Rhône), the UK invariably prefers the lighter shades of France. Odds are, should you be perusing a wine list for rosé, Provence is the name you alight upon.
Over a long, leisurely lunch, Ray O’Connor, Master of Wine and Provence-ophile, took me through multiples bottles of the good stuff. So, before you quaff it back, let me give you some intel to turn you into a true rosé aficionado because, rest assured, not all these wines are the same.
First, check the region your wine comes from: within Provence there are three main sub-sections and each deliver something different. Côtes de Provence is the largest and creates great all-rounders that are “generous in fruit and rounded in mouthfeel”. This is what you are thinking of when you imagine a standard Provence rosé.
Coteaux Varois en Provence is “the greenest and most environmental,” which O’Connor says brings an “energy and vibrancy” to the wines that’s great for food-pairing. Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence is the closest to the brisk sea breezes blowing inland, making them fresher, crisper and ideal for seafood or poolside sipping.
If you care to deep dive even further, there are five smaller denominations within the Côtes de Provence but O’Connor flagged two in particular he felt were worth looking out for; Sainte-Victoire has the greatest minerality, but given that’s an unpopularly vague term, think of it as poise and “zip”. La Londe, on the Southerly coast, has more body and a “beautiful marble-like texture to the mouthfeel”.
Most Provence rosés are a blend of grapes that each bring their own little bit of character to the wines. These are the most common: Grenache, which has a juicy, boozy, fruitiness; Cinsault which adds a floral freshness; Syrah brings the more serious depth, body and spice; Mourvèdre with its structure and colour; Carignan offers bright acidity and a hint of the herbal; and Rolle (otherwise known as Vermentino) has a zippy, zestiness. Winemakers weave their alchemic magic to decide how much of which grape creates their ideal wines.
Maison Mirabeau recently released “One Day” (Whole Foods, £19.99), Provence’s first wine to be officially certified as not only organic but regeneratively farmed. Founded by the Cronks, a British couple who moved to France and made their winemaking dream an award-winning reality, Mirabeau is now leading the way in sustainable practises. Chateau d’Estoublon’s “1489 de Roseblood” (Majestic, £59.99), which sounds like it should be served on Game of Thrones, is a more intensely concentrated wine from 50-year-old vines. Deliberately created to develop with age, this House is going against the stereotype that all rosés are meant to be quaffed thoughtlessly or immediately.
Though Love by Léoube (Tesco, £16.50) is one of my absolute go-to’s for an enjoyably elegant bottle, the Léoube Collector Rosé 2023 (Daylesford Organic, £75) is a limited release and offers the next level in rounded, refined delicacy.
As O’Connor extols, Provence rosé is all about the balance born of the place and the people. “Everything is in its right place. You get the crisp, fresh experience without sharp acidity. You have lovely structure without unwanted tannins. Attention to detail can be appreciated in the very delicate, fine red fruits, but which still give a satisfying persistence. This has been achieved through decades of savoir-faire, with the expertise of winemakers being honed over the years”.
So, now armed with these rosé basics, go take up that square inch of sunny space and indulge in the variety of Provence.