Chateau de Segries Tavel Rose 2007
- RP
Winemaker Notes
The Chateau produces the following A.O.C wines:
Tavel Rose
Cotes du Rhone Rouge
Lirac Rouge
Lirac Blanc
Chateau de Segries owns 44.5 hectares of vineyard land, all in old vines, 30 hectares in one piece alone:
7 ha (17.30 acres) in Tavel, on limestone, pebble stone, sand and clay based soils.
30 ha (74.10 acres) in Lirac, on clay and limestone based soils.
4 ha (9.88 acres) in Cotes du Rhone.
3.5 other ha (8.65 acres) in Côtes du Rhone for the "Clos de l'Hermitage"
Many of the vines date back to 1925, and were planted by the former owner Count de Regis de Gatimel.
The only all-rosé appellation in the Rhone, a Tavel comes in many hues from light salmon to bright pink and is said to be the only rosé that can actually age—and improve. The rosé wines of Tavel have a great historic reputation, having been favored by King Louis XIV in the 18th century, as well as famous authors, Balzac and Mistral.
Tavel are always dry but the high percentage of the fruity Grenache (30-60% of the blend by law) and even Cinsault, give charming aromas and flavors that make them feel "almost sweet." A great Tavel rosé will have a bouquet suggestive of rose petals, apricot, strawberry and red currant. The palate may be fleshy, round and layered but is always fresh and balanced.
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.