New Rosé from Southern France
by Anthony Lynch
2023 Côtes de Provence Rosé
France | Provence
Jonathan Sack, proprietor of Clos Sainte-Magdeleine in Cassis, makes his Côtes-de-Provence rosé from a vineyard in La Ciotat, the Provençal port town where the game of pétanque was purportedly invented. The vines sit on a privileged slice of land looking at the Mediterranean, just outside the confines of the Bandol appellation. Featuring organically grown Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, and Syrah, the Côtes-de-Provence is snappy and focused with a savory perfume of wild thyme and sea breeze. It plays well with salads, shellfish, and even a main course, but it also shines as a simple thirst-quencher—during a game of pétanque, for example.
2023 Vin de France Rosé “Faustine”
France | Corsica
Aromas of clementine and sweet summer melon abound in this plush, mouth-filling rosé from the granite hills above Ajaccio, Corsica’s capital city. Biodynamic farming guru Jean-Charles Abbatucci crafts it from the island’s indigenous Sciaccarellu grape, which he values for its capacity to produce lively wines with a real taste of the land. There is an alluring sun-kissed, windswept quality reminiscent of the Mediterranean coastline, as if Jean-Charles bottled up the essence of summertime in Corsica for us all to experience.
2023 Corbières Rosé “Gris de Gris”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
It’s no coincidence that Gris de Gris has been a KLWM staple for over forty years: a cold glass hits the spot every single time, bursting over the taste buds with bright citrus, wild strawberry, and a juicy finish that makes one’s mouth water in anticipation of the next sip. The delicate pressing of mostly Grenache Gris grapes has proven its merits as the formula for a rosé that is always crisp, slightly salty, and perpetually refreshing.
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