Winemaker Notes
In the same Provençal foothills of Mont Sainte-Victoire in which Paul Cézanne lived and found inspiration, the Sumeire family has thrived since the thirteenth century. This magical place is shielded from northern winds, with abundant sunshine and chalky soil regulating temperatures and helping to create a unique microclimate.
The Sumeires added Château Maupague to their collection of properties in 1991, intending to create a classic rosé on par with the finest of the region, light in color, fresh, aromatic, and dry. The etymology of the name “Maupague” (meaning “giving little”) and the geological characteristics of the soil make this property particularly well-suited for viticulture. Rosés with a majority of Grenache are rare for the region and result in a much more complex wine that transcends the appellation.
The Côtes de Provence, Cuvée Cabaret, and the Cuvée Sainte-Victoire, of the appellation namesake, offer remarkably high quality while beautifully representing the best of Provence.
Cotes de Provence is an extensive but valuable appellation that includes vineyards bordering the main Provencal appellations. Its sites vary from subalpine hills, which receive the cooling effects of the mountains to the north, to the coastal St-Tropez, a region mainly influenced by the warm Mediterranean sunshine.
Here the focus is on quality rosé, as it defines four fifths of the region’s wines. Following in the rosé footsteps, a lot of new effort is going into the region’s red production as well. A new generation has turned its focus on high quality Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Carignan. Cotes de Provence white wines, which represent a miniscule part of the region as far as volume, are nonetheless worthy of consideration and can include any combination of Clairette, Semillon, Ugni Blanc and Vermentino.
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.