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Our top local Rosé picks for summer 2021
Updated: Aug 20, 2021
It's the quintessential drink of the South of France and we've picked some great local wineries for you to try.
You can't pass the summer in the French Riviera without a glass (or innumerable glasses) of rosé. It's more than an easy apéro choice, or automatic selection with your lunch salad, or even the mandatory gift-in-hand when heading to a friend's for dinner -- it is part of the culture in the south and, in the summer, it is quite possibly what course through the veins of the locals.
A walk through any grocery store will overwhelm you with choice, and the fact you can grab a very decent bottle for under 5 Euros is certainly tempting - but there are some absolutely fabulous (no pun intended) Rosé wines made locally that are sure to not only refresh but also delight and intrigue your palate!
Here are our picks for this summer:
Le Clos Saint Vincent
Made right in the hills above Nice, in our very own AOC domain of Bellet, this family-owned and run vineyard adheres strictly to Biodynamic principles. The resulting wines are highly complex and full of terroir. 'Le Clos' rosé has a floral nose of violet and wild rose, is structured, elegant, and earthy. Harvested by hand at the peak of maturity and processed with extreme care. Nothing captures the terroir like a biodynamic wine.
Vin de Bellet AOP, Nice
100% Braquet, Organic and Biodynamic
75 cL, 22 €
Ultimate Provence
The newest winery from Mark Dixon's Provence Rosé group and the product of the meticulous crafting of the winemaker, Alexis Cornu, the UP Rosé opens with fruity notes of ripe lemons and exotic fruits, combined with bold floral notes underlined by spicy notes of white pepper. Delightfully refreshing and not sugary sweet.
UP Rosé, La Garde-Freinet
Cotes de Provence AOP
Syrah, Cinsault, Grenache noir and Rolle
17€
RECIPE!
The UP director gave us the recipe to one of the wine cocktails enjoyed by their pool:
‘The Rosy’
8 cl UP rosé 3 cl Saint Germain liqueur 2 cl Grapefruit simple syrup 1 squeeze of fresh lime 6 cl Tonic water
Serve in a hurricane glass with ice and garnish with something beautiful!
We asked local sommelier, Nancy Kerestedjian, for her top picks this year:
Chateau Sainte Marguerite
Fantastique Rosé
Certified Organic with notes of crunchy red apple, peach, raspberry, and sloe with a nuanced background of guava, papaya, and pomelo. Made with a blend of Grenache and Cinsault, it is truly a unique experience! The sommelier says: “It’s like a basket of strawberries in a bottle!”
AOP Côtes de Provence Cru Classé
75 cL, 30€
www.chateausaintemarguerite.com
Chateau Saint-Maur
L’Excellence Rosé
Generous and elegant on the palate, it has notes of mango, wild vineyard peaches, and citrus. A complex blend for a truly delightful wine: Grenache 40% Syrah 30% Cinsault 20% Mourvèdre 5% Tibouren 2% Rolle 2% Carignan 1%.
AOP Côtes de Provence Cru Classé
75cl, 23 €
About the Sommelier:
Nancy Kerestedjian is a French-American certified sommelier and wine educator. Her company, My Wine Voyage, organises customised, private wine and food tours in English and French featuring well-known Cru Classé estates as well as smaller family vineyards. Check out her wine tasting courses and winery tours! www.mywinevoyage.com