La Vidaubanaise Le Provençal Côtes de Provence Rosé 2018

The Mâitres Vignerons de la Vidaubanaise have fashioned an absolutely delicious 2018 Le Provençal Côtes de Provence Rosé. The 2018 Le Provençal conjures images of the sun-drenched Provençal countryside along with the region’s rarified air and illuminated landscapes, all of which shimmer beside the sparkling Mediterranean Sea. Le Provençal is bottled in the traditional “flute à corset,” the distinctive bottle of the Provence region, that recalls charming flower-bedecked villages, colorful outdoor cafés, and fun in the sun. Delicate in color, much like the lightest of pink roses, the 2018 Le Provençal Rosé enchants the eye as well as the nose and palate. Delicate scents of cherry blossoms and woodland strawberries haunt the nose and seep surreptitiously into the wine’s spritely flavor profile. This is a dry, scented, savory rosé whose delicacy and evanescence render it unabashedly attractive. Not unlike the Provençal countryside, there is a fleeting, yet timeless quality about this wine. No oak, no hard angles, no smoke or mirrors, the Maitres Vignerons’ 2018 Le Provençal Rosé is just plain seductive and… so refreshing, but be forewarned; it slips ever so effortlessly down the thirsty throat. To fully appreciate the delicacy and flavor of this rosé, we suggest only moderate chilling (40°-45° F).

In Provence, whether one is sitting along the rocky coast of Saint Tropez or overlooking the vineyards of the Vaucluse and nearby craggy heads of the towering Dentelles de Montmirail, rosé is the wine to drink with abandon, with or without food. And most assuredly rosé will begin every feast or festivity in its native land. The 2018 Le Provençal Côtes de Provence Rosé is the wine to sip to while away the hours, watch the sea roll in, or just plain relax. It’s also the ideal wine for a picnic. It pairs nicely with charcuterie, ham, cheeses, salads, and smoked fish as well as such Provençal classics as Bouillabaisse. Grilled fish and chicken make fine companions, too, but then almost anything seems to take to Le Provençal’s Côtes de Provence Rosé. Bon Appétit!

Le Provençal’s Côtes de Provence Rosé is produced by Maitres Vignerons in the heart of Provence. Established in Vidauban in 1922, Mâitres Vignerons de la Vidaubanaise fashions one of the most charming of all Provençal rosés on the limestone foothills of the Maures Massif in the heart of the Appellation Côtes de Provence. Situated between the gleaming blue of the Mediterranean Sea and the last outcropping of the Alps, Le Provençal Rosé benefits from the region’s Mediterranean climate, which is ideal for the cultivation of traditional Provençal grape varietals such as Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Carignan and Rolle. Le Provençal Côtes de Provence Rosé is a special cuvée selected from various parcels of vines from light, sandy soils as well as hillside vineyards planted on ancient limestone terraces. The combination of terroirs yields an elegant, dry rosé of distinction.

Maitres Vignerons’ Le Provençal Rosé is a dry, delicate wine that is more a white wine than a rosé or red wine, as it is produced like a white wine with minimal skin contact and no time in oak barrel. After harvest, a portion of the grapes undergo a cold maceration at various temperatures and lengths of time according to the grape variety in order to preserve the wine’s delicate aroma. The remaining grapes are vinified by a direct pressing, which imparts a slight pink color from the skins of the dark grapes. The wines are then blended and their élevage (upbringing) takes place entirely in stainless steel tanks until early February, when the young rose-colored wine is bottled for maximum freshness.

Maitres Vignerons’ wines annually win awards at prestigious competitions, including France’s Concours Général Agricole and Mondial du Rosé. Their wines are also featured regularly in the French wine press, which includes France’s celebrated Guide Hachette. Once again, rosés are this year’s “hottest” wines, and Mâitres Vignerons’s Le Provençal Côtes de Provence Rosé ranks among the best.