Nestled within the rolling hills, Château La Coste is excess of a winery. It’s a cultural vacation spot, a wine property steeped in historical past, and a pioneer of biodynamic viticulture. I toured the property with certainly one of their specialists to delve into the world of Provençal wine.
Provence is finest recognized for its rosé wines, and beneath French wine regulation, strict rules govern what could be produced beneath the AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) label.
Saskia Kemsley
“Each AOC has its personal e-book of specs – which grapes to make use of, how far aside to plant them, how a lot yield per hectare, how the wines could be blended, and so forth,” Château La Coste’s knowledgeable Patricia explains. For rosé, mixing is crucial. The wines are sometimes constituted of a mixture of grape varieties – primarily Grenache, with others like Syrah or Cinsault utilized in smaller proportions so as to add complexity.
“Blending offers rosé its selection and nuance. It permits us to attain the stability of minerality, freshness, and fruitiness that Provençal rosés are recognized for.”
The artwork of mixing and terroir
While all winemakers within the area should observe AOC rules, every property has inventive freedom inside these bounds.
“You will need to have at the least 50 per cent of a major grape selection, however past that, it’s about discovering your individual model,” she tells me. “Even one metre of soil can change all the things. The solar publicity, soil kind, and vine age all affect the wine.”
Château La Coste makes use of a spread of soil varieties, together with limestone, clay, and even volcanic rock, which provides construction and salinity. The winery is organized like an amphitheatre, with hills forming a pure curtain that protects the vines. “We have a microclimate, due to the hills and the Mistral wind from the Alps, which retains issues dry and permits us to farm organically and biodynamically.”
Château La Coste
The winemaking course of: From grape to glass
During harvest, grapes are picked both by machine or by hand. Manual harvests are reserved for biodynamic wines, whereas machine harvesting nonetheless qualifies for natural certification. To make rosé, the hot button is a brief pores and skin contact – simply two hours – sufficient to provide the wine its pale pink hue with out extracting bitter tannins.
“The color comes from the grape skins. Grenache, which has much less pigment, is ideal for this model,” explains Patricia. Modern vinification at Château La Coste is remarkably exact. Grapes are cooled, gently pressed with nitrogen-inflated membranes, and transferred by gravity into stainless-steel tanks – avoiding pumps and extra oxygen. “It’s all about preserving the juice’s purity. The skins and seeds are reused – both in high-alcohol distillates, cosmetics, or compost. Nothing is wasted.”
Wines ferment over 15 to 30 days, and ageing varies relying on the model – three months for recent, fruity rosés, whereas extra structured wines are aged longer, generally on their fantastic lees (spent yeast cells), which provides complexity and physique.
Château La Coste
How to decide on a Provençal rosé
For newcomers to Provençal wine, she provides easy recommendation: “Taste as a lot as you may. That’s the one option to uncover what you want. Try wines from totally different sub-regions – the nearer to the ocean, the saltier and extra mineral the wine.”
Some bottles, like Whispering Angel, dominate the market attributable to robust advertising, however there’s a lot extra to discover. “They’ve performed an important job at making rosé accessible, however Provence provides unbelievable selection. Look for labels that point out ageing on lees or particular plots – these usually have extra depth.”
Provençal wine, significantly rosé, is beloved for its class, freshness, and drinkability. At Château La Coste, the mix of heritage, biodynamic farming, and artisanal craftsmanship creates wines that aren’t solely genuine however deeply expressive of their terroir.
If you’re new to rosé, begin tasting. Don’t chase developments or branding. Provence has a wine for each palate – you simply have to find yours.
