Caves D'Esclans 2022 "Whispering Angel" Rosé

£13.45
Tasting notes
Summer fruits and blossoms; great quaffing on its own and accompanies picnic food excellently!

Why we recommend this wine
We are not a fan of rosé because it invariably seems that it is made out of wine that the winemaker has no other use for. So an opportunity to visit Provence where they actually plant and harvest to make rosé was not an opportunity to be missed (see our trip notes here). We found several that we liked; Whispering Angel is the benchmark for a good rosé.

The wine
Primarily Grenache, Rolle (Vermentino), Cinsault, Syrah and Tibouren harvest during the cooler time hours of the morning. Grape quality is strictly controlled through sorting electronically by optical eye and manually three times. Destemming, slight crushing and vinification in stainless steel is all temperature controlled at 7-8 degrees to ensure freshness.

The wine estate
Château d’Esclans is located inland between Cannes and St Tropez. The original château - of which now only the cellar remains - dates back to before the 12th century. Sacha Lichine aquired Château d’Esclans in 2006. Caves d’Esclans is the negociant arm (that is, the part that makes wine from grapes bought-in from other growers) of the business.
For Whispering Angel Caves d’Esclans has sourced prime vineyards, grapes and wines from Château d’Esclans as well local grape growers, whose vineyards are treated with the same high standards of quality as the vineyards of the Château.
esclans.com

Food and wine
Provence rosé makers claim that their wine has been designed for the food of the region, that is, food with some spice and heat. This is not surprising since Grenache is the base and in red or rosé form it is great with Thai cuisine and the peppers of the Mediterranean. Also see our guide to pairing food and wine here.

Did you know?
Rosé is made from red grapes; the amount of colour in the wine depends on the amount of time the juice is kept in contact with the skins – the longer the contact the darker the colour.