The Pleasures of Provençal Rosé #Winophiles

This month the French #Winophiles are celebrating French Rosé!  I was provided with three sample rosés from Provence by our sponsors the Provence Rosé Group, and  Teuwen Communications.   As always, opinions are my own.

Whenever I think of rosé, the first place I think of is Provence.  That because the rosés of Provence  are the archetype for the perfect sunny-day beverage.

Provence, to me, is the perfect dry rosé. I always think, you combine sun, sand, sea, and summer with the sophisticated bars and restaurants beside the Mediterranean. That, to me, is the image of Provence rosé.  – Roger Voss, European Editor – Wine Enthusiast Magazine

That is so for many reasons.  Let’s begin with history of Provence.

Many believe that Provence is the birthplace of not only rosé wine, but of the French vineyard. Phocaeans from Greece brought wines and vines to southern France around 600 BC.   The wines of the time were made by pressing and processing grapes quickly.  The resulting wines were a pale color.  And those wines were coveted throughout the ancient world ( much like the Provençal rosés of today don’t you think?)

Many a winemaker would tell you that rosé is the most technical wine to produce.  Certainly 2,600 years of experience helps in that regard.  I would also argue that more “intentional” rose is produced in Provence from grapes bespoke for rosé  than anywhere else in the world.

When you consider the region’s great gastronomy (after all wherever you find great food you will find great wine, and vice-versa!) and “Joie de vivre” culture it’s no wonder Provençal rosé has become a lifestyle beverage!

winophiles rose

The Wines

We received three wines from the Côtes de Provence AOP, from two producers – Chateau de Berne and Ultimate Provence.  I must say the wines are beautifully packages.   Clearly there’s some marketing capital invested  in the bottles we received.  But that marketing savvy would be for naught if what was in the bottle that didn’t live up to the provenance of Provençal rosé.  Not to worry, what was in the bottle was just as delightful as the packaging!

My tasting notes follow:

2017 Château de Berne Rosé Emotion – France, Provence, Côtes de Provence
Color: Pale pink with golden highlights
Aromas: Wild strawberries, ripe cherries, white flowers with hints of yellow melon, blood orange and pleasing bit of sea breeze
Body: Light-bodied, dry and very fresh
Taste: Strawberries, raspberry, cherry, blood orange, watermelon and spice
Finish: Medium-long

Blend of 50% Grenache Noir, 25% Cinsault, and 25% Syrah. 12.5% abv|SRP – $16.00 (90 pts.)

2017 Ultimate Provence Urban Rosé – France, Provence, Côtes de Provence
Color: Pale pink with golden highlights
Aromas: Cherries, strawberry, baked peach, white flowers, wet stone and peppery spice
Body: Medium-bodied and with good acidity
Taste: Cherries, golden raspberries, peach, ruby grapefruit and nuanced mandarin orange complicated by a bit of spice
Finish: Medium with a pleasant, appetizing bit of tartness

Blend of 45% Grenache Noir, 35% Cinsault, 15% Syrah, and Rolle, all sourced from vineyard blocks planted around the commune of La Garde Freinet, bordering St. Tropez. 13% abv| SRP – $22.99 (88 pts.)

2017 Château de Berne Rosé Inspiration – France, Provence, Côtes de Provence
Color – Pale peach
Aromas – Inviting white peach, strawberry, white flower blossoms with hint of savory dried spice and an ocean breeze
Body – Light-bodied, dry and very fresh
Taste – White peach, strawberry, cherry and raspberry with nuanced citrus, mineral and spice notes.
Finish – Medium finish.

Blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 10% Syrah |12.5% abv|SRP – $19.99 (89 pts.)

Food Pairings

Over the course of a week or so, I paired the wines with a variety of food.  I was impressed with the very food friendly character of these dry and refreshing wines!

Spice Rubbed Tuna Steaks and Stacked Heirloom and Burrata Salad

Tilapia and Summer Squash Tacos and Stacked Heirloom and Burrata Salad

Ground Turkey and Broccolini Sauté

Ah the beauty of Provençal Rosé! Love the color and the packaging of this @inspirationrosewine. But, of course it’s what is in the bottle that really matters, and this one delivers above its sub $20 price point. It’s a blend of (predominantly) Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah with a dry, refreshing and balanced red fruit character- strawberry, tart cherry, and raspberry, along with peach and nuanced notes of spice, citrus and minerality! Very versatile at the table. Paired with a quick ground turkey, fresh broccolini sauté – a delightful pairing #sponsored . . . #wine #winelover #winophiles #vinsdeprovence #roseallday #rosealldamnday #drinkpink #pinksociety #wineoclock #winewriter #enofylzwineblog #winestagram #vinstagram

A post shared by martindredmond (@martindredmond) on

Truth be told, I’ve been buying more California rosé than wines from other countries, including Provence.  That’s mostly because, my wine purchases are driven by a “think global, drink local” aesthetic.  Plus, there is little doubt that California has elevated its wine game including rosé.  Having said that, thinking about the pleasures, value and food friendliness of these wines puts a smile on my face.  It reminded me of why Provence is the benchmark for rosé.  And that make me want to enjoy the pleasure of Provençal rosé more often!

Check out what my fellow French #Winophiles have to share about their French rosé experiences!

The French Winophiles are a group of wine-loving foodies who gather (virtually) on the third Saturday of the month to share wine-pairing ideas, travel stories, and tasting notes on a particular theme. New members are always welcome.  If you’re interested in joining us, we’d love to have you. In August we focus on Grower Champagne, and I’ll be your host!

If you’re up early enough, please join our chat at 8am Pacific/11am Eastern by following the #winophiles hashtag.  We hope to “see you” online!

________________________________________________________________________

Follow me on TwitterFacebookInstagramVivino and for all things wine.  As a wino with latent foodie tendencies, you’ll also find plenty of food and wine pairings, and wine related travel stuff! Become a fan and join ENOFYLZ Wine Blog on Facebook. Cheers!

Copyright Notice: This entire site is Copyrighted 2010-2018. All Rights Reserved. No unauthorized copying of any section of this site is permitted. If you wish to use any part of this site, contact me. For information on Copyright Law, see the official U.S. Copyright Office home page.

13 Comments

  1. wendyklik says:

    Great pairings Martin. I think you are right, these wines go perfectly with whatever you are serving up.

    1. Martin D. Redmond says:

      Thanks Wendy. This was a fun theme for me. Been a while since I’ve delved into Provence!

  2. Great pairings. The wines all sound wonderful.

    1. Martin D. Redmond says:

      Thank you Lori! I appreciate the kind words!

  3. Robin Renken says:

    I love your pairing ideas. After tasting the wines, I feel like I would really like to try the Urban Provençe with that beautiful spice rubbed tuna steak. And I will be working on making beautiful tomato/burrata stacks!

  4. Lynn says:

    Repeat of your layered heirloom Burrata salad is just the thing to do in summer when you have access to those Tom beauties, and with rosé, ah yes!

  5. Some really lovely pairings here highlighting the versatility of rosé!

  6. Fantastic food pairings, Martin! I’m putting forward a motion that we do our next #Winophiles event at your place. Of course, we’ll help out and bring a few extra bottles!

  7. Nicole Ruiz Hudson says:

    All of these pairings look absolutely delightful! And love the photos as well.

  8. I agree with Lauren. Booking a ticket to your house now!

Comments are closed.