Côtes de Provence Château d'Esclans 2018

Château d'Esclans? It's known for creating the most expensive rosé in the world, the famous Garrus cuvée. Situated in Var in the South of France, 74 hectares of this extensive 267-hectare estate is used to produce Provence rosés. The main varieties that go into its blends are Grenache, Vermentino, Cinsault, Merlot, and Mourvèdre along with a few others. The vines are up to 90 years old and so they sometimes produce highly concentrated raisins. These luxury rosés are the wish of Sacha Lichine who acquired the estate in 2006. The former owner of Château Prieuré-Lichine located in Margaux creates these rosés with hints of woodiness like he would for some fine white wines, bottles to be conserved and uncorked in a year or two rather than the year following the harvest. And there are currently five rosés in the Rosés de Provence range. The property is by no means young with its history going back many centuries and its cellars dating back to the 12th century.

Renowned for its beautiful rosés, Château d’Esclans here crafts a blend of southern varietals including Rolle, Cinsault, Grenache noir, Syrah, and Tibouren. Part of the blend was vinified in oak casks and the rest in vats in order to preserve the freshness of the fruit.
This is a wine that balances finesse and complexity. A salmon pink hue invites is to take in its aromas of exotic fruit, white flowers, and fleshy fruit like peach. Persistent and fresh, it lingers on a lightly oaky tone.
We recommend serving it with a regional dish such as ratatouille.