Winemaker Notes
Pale salmon-pink in color, this rose wine is a blend of Grenache and Cinsault, completed by a touch of Syrah and Mourvèdre. There is an unmistakable scent of mint, evoking the herbs that grow wild around the vineyards. Even the nearby sea seems to have left its mark in the appetising, lightly salty finish. This is a very complete rose wine, notable for its harmony, freshness and sheer drinkability. Assured, understated and refined, a highly accomplished Provence rose wine.
Perfect rose wine for an aperitif or with fish, shellfish, grilled vegetables, spiced exotic food and sushi and all the way to the cheese board and pudding.
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesThe 2019 Cotes de Provence Rose Secret de Leoube is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet brings a lifted, herbal quality to the nose, adding that atop hints of crushed stone, dried spices, red berries and citrus. It's medium-bodied and silky in texture, then finishes with more of those dried spices and herbs. Complex and elegant, it's one of the top rosés I tasted this year.
Elegant and restrained on the nose, while the smooth, textured palate is graced with tangerine and white pepper spice.
Organically grown fruits are smoothly textured and generous. A vein of acidity contrasts with this rich fruitiness and pepper aftertaste. The wine is ready to drink. Chambers & Chambers.
The Leoube estate was bought by the current owners in 1997. Seduced by Leoube's history and beauty, they set out to make wines with character that were true to their terroir, while remaining respectful of nature. As the founders of Daylesford Organic – one of the UK's most sustainable farms – the owners are passionate about environmentally friendly farming and wished to bring this natural approach to Leoube.
More than just a European vacation hotspot and rosé capital of the world, Provence, in southeastern France, is a coastal appellation producing interesting wines of all colors. The warm, breezy Mediterranean climate is ideal for grape growing and the diverse terrain and soil types allow for a variety of wine styles within the region. Adjacent to the Rhône Valley, Provence shares some characteristics with this northwestern neighbor—namely, the fierce mistral wind and the plentiful wild herbs (such as rosemary, lavender, juniper and thyme) often referred to as garrigue. The largest appellation here is Côtes de Provence, followed by Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence.
Provence is internationally acclaimed for dry, refreshing, pale-hued rosé wines, which make up the vast majority of the region’s production. These are typically blends, often dominated by Mourvèdre and supplemented by Grenache, Cinsault, Tibouren and other varieties.
A small amount of full-bodied, herbal white wine is made here—particularly from the Cassis appellation, of Clairette and Marsanne. Other white varieties used throughout Provence include Roussane, Sémillon, Vermentino (known locally as Rolle) and Ugni Blanc.
Perhaps the most interesting wines of the region, however, are the red wines of Bandol. Predominantly Mourvèdre, these are powerful, structured, and ageworthy wines with lush berry fruit and savory characteristics of earth and spice.
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.