Winemaker Notes
#29 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2025
In this blend of four emblematic Provençal grape varietals, each plays a distinctive role: Grenache contributes roundness, delicacy, and subtle aromas, while Syrah adds power and color. Cinsault, known for finesse and fruity notes, gently balances the strength provided by Grenache and Syrah. Rolle, the iconic white grape of Provence, introduces a touch of tension, freshness, and floral notes to complete this well-balanced blend.
Blend: 65% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Cinsault, 5% Rolle
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Flowers, minerals, pink cherries, orange peel and a hint of crushed stones on the nose. Clean and crunchy, with a medium body and a bright, citrusy finish.
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Wine Spectator
A fragrant, floral rosé, with a burst of watermelon and strawberry lemonade notes. Maintains vibrant energy from start to finish, with a saline mineral foundation offsetting the creamy fruit. Balanced and delicious, showing a waft of smoke on the well-meshed finish. Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Rolle.
Nestled against the southern slopes of the Alpilles in the heart of Provence, Château d'Estoublon has been passionately perpetuating the tradition of olive oils and exceptional wines since 1489.
Today, the 200-hectare estate is owned and directed by an all-star cast: former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, Carla Bruni, the Courbit Family, and the Prats Family, previous owners of Château Cos d’Estournel. The team works alongside technical director Anais Maillet, former winemaker of Château Lafon-Rochet in St-Estephe and Terrazas de los Andes in Mendoza to create their flagship rose: Roseblood. They’ve chosen to write their history in harmony with nature by farming their vineyards both organically and sustainably.
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.
A source of delicious rosés, the Coteaux de Varois en Provence is distinguished by calcareous soil and mountainous isolation. Raised on a plateau inland from the Mediterranean, the region’s maritime climate and clay/limestone soil impart a brisk acidity to its wines.
Red varieties here (for rosés and reds) include Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Tibouren (a heritage variety) and Cabernet Sauvignon. Soft and delicate, with rose, cherry, and strawberry, the rosés boast a clarifying minerality while retaining the charming Provencal food-friendliness and quaffability. While the region puts 90% of its vinous energy into rosé wine, the remaining ten percent is divided 70/30 between red and white. The robust reds of Coteaux de Varois reds, if given the chance, show improvement with time in the cellar. The charming whites, based in Rolle (Vermentino, Grenache Blanc, Sémillon and Ugni Blanc have an affinity for seafood.