Winemaker Notes
Aromas of wildflowers, orange peel, light spice. Flavors of pomegranate and cherry jam. Silky, medium-bodied. Pair with tapenade, grilled white fish and appetizers.
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.
Uniquely dedicated to red wine production in a sea of rosé-producing regions, tiny Les Baux-de-Provence (325 hectares) is based geographically on an ancient hilltop village and viticulturally on natural farming methods. As a point of regional pride that most vignerons work their vines without artificial pesticides or fertilizers, this commitment shows itself in the high-quality, full-bodied, intriguing red blends, which make up two-thirds of the region’s production. Earthy and complex, Les Baux-do-Provence reds rival their celebrated Rhône Valley cousins. The blend takes advantage of Grenache’s jolly berry fruit, Syrah’s spicy cherry and the brooding plum of Mourvèdre. Rosé, the signature wine of Provence, is not forgotten, and the garrigue brings a lip-smacking savor to the bottles.