In the Pink – Proper rosés
In the Pink!
We’ve been getting increasingly frustrated by pale pink imitations of wine, while this summer, thus far, is offering few opportunities for just sitting in the garden we still feel that the best rosés will enhance any summer meal, whether lunch, dinner, BBQ or even a traditional picnic (weather permitting). The rosés below are of the highest quality and we highly recommend each wine.
The wines are due to arrive in a week or two, all things being equal. Price is inclusive of Vat, case size as indicated. Delivery charges apply for orders under £200 or outside England. 10% discount on orders of 18 bottles of more, may be mixed (whole cases).
Château Saint-Maur
Château Saint-Maur is one of the finest properties in Provence and one of only eighteen that were awarded Cru Classé status in 1955. Owned since 2011 by entrepreneur Roger Zannier, the sole focus has always been excellence, a major step being taken with the appointment of wine-maker Patrick Galliano. A few kilometres from Saint-Tropez, Saint-Maur is blessed with warm summer days moderated by cooling breezes from the nearby coast and mountains along with an excellent terroir, all ideal for producing elegant Provençal rosés.
The M by Saint-Maur Rosé is composed of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah with small amounts of other varieties, sourced from the estate and local growers. The wine undergoes a short cold maceration with fermentation in stainless steel tanks. The result is a vibrant wine bursting with cranberries and delicate orange blossom notes.
The Excellence Rosé is the flagship of the estate. Produced from clay-limestone soils rich in schist and quartz, this very elegant rosé is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault, with small helpings of Rolle, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvèdre and Tibouren. Vinified at low temperature with a cold maceration, it has a bouquet of wild citrus and stone fruits, an elegant and beautifully refreshing palate leading to a long mineral finish.
The Clos de Capelune vineyard is a parcel of vines overlooking the Gulf of Saint-Tropez and, at 449m above sea level, these are the highest vines in the Côtes de Provence. The clay-limestone soils are rich in schist and quartz, and the grapes are harvested by hand at night to preserve their freshness before being meticulously sorted. The rosé is a subtle blend of Syrah, Rolle and Grenache, very elegant and complex with layers of delicate red berry fruits and a touch of pepper on the palate with a refined mineral note.
2023 M by Saint-Maur Rosé – £125.70 per 6 x 75cl (£150 per 3 x 150cl)
This is the estate’s “fun” wine, although it puts most other rosés to shame. Bursting with fruit, it is great as an apéritif, for BBQs, or for simple meals with friends: prawns, squid or shellfish, chicken or veal, strawberries or summer pudding.
2022 Excellence Rosé – £86.85 per 3 x 75cl (£195 per 3 x 150cl)
The flagship of the estate, this adds a layer of refinement to the power of the M. Superb with grilled tuna, veal with wild mushrooms, and fruit sorbets.
2022 Clos de Capelune Rosé – £149.85 per 3 x 75cl (£315 per 3 x 150cl)
Long and complex, this is most definitely a wine to be enjoyed with food: langoustines, truffles, figs all fit the bill nicely.
Niepoort, Douro, Portugal
Redoma Tinto started a revolution in wine production on the Douro, and it looks like Redoma Rosé might well do the same. Produced from a field blend of old vines planted at altitude around Quinta de Nápoles and fermented in 228L and 500L oak barrels, the Redoma rosé is a beautifully balanced wine with enticing notes of rhubarb and summer berries and a delicately floral and herbal nose. On the palate, it offers a fruit-forward experience with crisp, tangy freshness and balanced acidity, leading to a clean and satisfying finish.
2023 Redoma Rosé, Douro – £119.70 per 6 x 75cl
Although pale in colour, this is a concentrated wine full of flavour and personality that will age for at least a couple of yeasrs. Ideal as an aperitif or with light summer meals. It reminds me of a dish of fried roach and gudgeon I once had straight out of the Douro, but grilled sardines or anchovies would do, as would veal chops.
Domaine de Terrebrune, Bandol, France
Tucked away in the centre of the vast Côtes de Provence region is the tiny appellation of Bandol. The climate here is sufficiently warm to allow the very slow-ripening Mourvèdre grapes to reach full maturity, and it is this, in the hands of skilled producers, that gives Bandol reds and rosés their unique character.
Domaine de Terrebrune is currently jointly owned by Reynald Delille, sone of the Domaine’s original founder, and media magnate Jean d’Arthuys. It has always been farmed according to biodynamic principles, with the soil worked by horses and men while the only herbicides used are the sheep and goats that are allowed to graze the vineyards in winter.
The domaine, named after the distinctive brown clay soil that is dotted with limestone pebbles, benefits from a fissured limestone bedrock that allows the vine roots to penetrate to great depths in search of water and nutrients. It is the latter that give the wine its strong minerality which, coupled with the natural acidity of the Mourvèdre grape, leads to a wine that is fresh and vibrant in its youth with an explosive nose. The truly astonishing attribute of this rosé, however, is its remarkable aging potential – as it loses acidity and tension, it gains in body and complexity.
2022 Bandol Rosé – £179.70 per 6 x 75cl
Young, pair it with grilled seafood or mussels, but an older wine (if you manage to keep some) will match up with almost anything. Try it with a gigot of milk-fed lamb!
2022 Kumeu River
Kumeu River Vineyards
The magnificent 2022 wines from Kumeu River have been released and we’re very pleased to be able to offer a selection below. Are there better value Chardonnays from anywhere? I don’t think so. The Estate wines are such good value and the Village wines are rediculously inexpensive given their quality.
Kumeu River estate was established in 1944, when Mick and Kate Brajkovich and son Maté first came to the small country settlement of Kumeu, about 20 km north-west of Auckland. Despite being situated well to the north of New Zealand’s other viticultural regions, the Kumeu vineyards are cooled by the close proximity of both the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean, generating cloud cover that keeps peak summer temperatures below 30°C, enhancing the aromas and flavours during ripening. The family’s latest venture saw an exciting addition with the 2017 acquisition of a vineyard in Hawkes Bay. Rays Road, Raukawa, was originally a joint project between the well-known Sancerre producer, Pascal Jolivet, and New Zealand’s Trinity Hill, but things didn’t work out and they sold to Kumeu River, providing them with access to a superb vineyard site quite different from the Kumeu home vineyards. The soil is limestone and sits at altitude, the two factors that first attracted Jolivet as they mirror those of his native Loire. The results of the first harvests were impressive, and they just keep getting better.
2022 Vintage Report
2022 was yet another excellent vintage for Kumeu River (four on the trot now but if you’re getting bored, don’t worry, there’ll be very little wine from the 2023 harvest). The winter of 2021 was relatively mild, but quite wet, so the soil was well hydrated. Spring came early, but fortunately there was no frost damage. The spring growth was lush and rapid, requiring even more careful leaf removal, and flowering was ahead of usual, indicating another early harvest. January was quite dry, providing excellent ripening conditions. Temperatures were significantly cooler than in most years, but consistently above 25°C, allowing the grapes to develop aroma and flavour. Early February brought rain and high humidity over Waitangi weekend, but that soon cleared to allow picking to start in sunshine.
Harvest commenced on 15 February 2022, still very early by any historical standard, and the harvest period itself was free of rainfall. Harvesting finished on 13 March, thus avoiding the substantial rainfall that came a week or so later. Once again, the Chardonnay wines, particularly the Single Vineyards, are shining examples of the Kumeu style. The terroir differences between various parcels are very distinct, really highlighting their individual personalities. Pinot Gris is also very strong this year with high sugar levels, and with some Botrytis influence producing rich and textural wines.
Price is GBP In Bond per case, size as indicated, excluding duty, Vat and any delivery or transfer charges.
All wines offered subject to remaining available.
2022 Estate Chardonnay – £170 per 12 x 75cl
What can one say about Kumeu’s estate chardonaay that hasn’t already been said? I have sold this wine for something like 25 years and it has always been extraordinary value. I really can’t recommend it highly enough and, at this price, it’s a steal.
Rating 93 Release Price NA Drink Date 2023 – 2033 Reviewed by Erin Larkin Issue Date Nov 30, 2023 Source
The 2022 Estate Chardonnay is nutty and svelte, with white peach, pastry, apricot kernel, brine and even a hint of malt biscuit through the finish. The wine has breadth and girth to it; it’s not at all compact, but it’s tight in texture. So, all things being equal, it’s an exciting Chardonnay. This is from six different sites in the Kumeu area, with wine aging on lees in 20% new oak (just about all François Frères) for approximately 11 months. Everything goes 100% malolactic fermentation, wild primary ferment, and malolactic fermentation is a mixture of inoculation and wild. From 2024, they will not be inoculating malolactic fermentation, as “the wild yeasts seem to be the most reliable,” explains Michael Brajkovich. Lovely acid. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
2022 Hunting Hill Chardonnay – £180 per 6 x 75cl
There are only 2 six packs of this extraordinary wine remaining, the difference in quality between HH and Matés these days is almost imperceptiable, certainly not worth the price difference.
Rating 95+ Release Price NA Drink Date 2023 – 2037 Reviewed by Erin Larkin Issue Date Aug 01, 2023 Source
The 2022 Hunting Hill Chardonnay is mouthfilling and obvious in its outlay of flavor in the mouth—yellow peach, apricot, Golden Delicious apple, beeswax/lanolin and ripe lime flesh. The flutter of acidity that feathers the fruit is compelling and alluring in its power and juiciness. An exciting wine. It’s a wine I want to drink (I will; the perks) and a wine I am enjoying considering too. It’s intellectual and sensorial/corporeal in equal measure. The Hunting Hill Vineyard was planted in 1982 and overlooks Mate’s Vineyard. This is a pleasurable, exciting, fleshy, complex, salty, kaleidoscopic wine. Excellent. Recommended. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.