November 2021 Rosé of the Month

Happy Thanksgiving! If you’re reading this, you already know there’s a rosé for every occasion, but everyone’s  favorite food and wine holiday is great opportunity to convince any potential doubters at your dinner table. While pink might not seem like the most autumnal of colors, an outstanding rosé will pair nicely with pretty much anything a Thanksgiving menu can throw at you. It has the acidity to cut through fatty dishes, the fruit to complement the sweeter stuff, and  you can even use it to enliven leftovers or accompany your Wednesday- before takeout. This month we have two wonderful selections from Famille de Ramatoulle in Provence and Domaine Phillippe Tessier of Loire Valley - both are slightly atypical French Roses and well suited to whatever festivities you have in front of you. 

The first is made primarily from the rare Tibouren grape, which is grown almost exclusively in Provence (Jancis Robinson has called it the Provencal varietal), mostly for Rose production. It was introduced to the area in the 18th century by an Italian sea captain named Antiboul, who  brought the “Antiboul plant” to the port of Saint Tropez. The grape was then planted mainly in the nearby communes of Ramatuelle and Gassin, and as the name evolved from Antiboulen to Tiboulen to, finally, Tibouren, the grape adapted quite well to the soil types of the area and produced juice of very high quality. From then on, the vines multiplied on the peninsula and continued to thrive, mostly in Ramatuelle. Tibouren makes for a distinctive and appealing Rose characterized by a wild herb bouquet called garrigue (so named for the underbrush and wild scrub that grows in the limestone rich soils of in the region) and citrus peel, stone fruit and saline mineral notes on the palate. The 2020 Ramatuelle Family Vineyards is a fine example with great acidic backbone to boot. 

Further inland and to the north, the Tessier family has been making wine for 3 generations. Roger Tessier, founded the Domaine that bears their name in 1961, when he decided to plant some grape vines on his asparagus farm in Cheverny, in the northeastern corner of Touraine, in the Loire Valley. Frequently overlooked/underrated compared to its more established Loire neighbors, the Cheverny AOC has in recent years become a real hub of hands-off winemaking, thanks in large part to Phillippe’s example. He began working in the vineyards in 1981, eventually taking over from his father, converting to organic viticulture in 1998 and becoming Eco-certified in 2002. 2018 was his last harvest at the helm; his son Simon is taking the reins (though Tessier pere remains omnipresent; “Phillippe lives and breathes the vineyards”, says Simon.) The quality of the 2020 Rosé, as fresh and vital as ever, suggests a seamless transition.

Think Pink!

Carrie Upson-General Manager