Club Corner
Rosé Club October 2026
Clos Cibonne Cuvée Tradition 2024 First off, our bad for intimating, in last month’s notes, that the September’s selection would be the final bottling of the season. October, frequently the warmest month of the year here in SF, clearly deserves a dedicated shade of pink all its own. So, by way of apologizing for our error (and for it technically being November now), we have a real treat for you in this, the actual final installment of 2026. Back in May 2025, we featured two rosés composed in part of the rare Provencal varietal Tibouren. Here’s what we said about it then: “A thin-skinned black grape thought to have originated in Mesopotamia, Tibouren is distinguished by its intensely aromatic nose and herbal palate (a combination often called ‘garrigue’ in wine, after the Mediterranean vegetation, and denoting flavors of bay leaf, thyme, rosemary and sage), and various difficulties associated with its cultivation. Tibouren tends to produce irregular yields and is highly susceptible to coulure or “shatter,” which is when the grape fails to develop after flowering due to the plant’s metabolic response to extreme or unseasonal weather conditions. The mild and consistent climate along the Mediterranean coast thus provides its most propitious conditions, but even here, we’re talking about truly miniscule quantities.” Both of those bottles contained no more than 15% Tibouren however, the majority being made up of familiar Rhone varietals like Grenache and Mourvedre. What we have here instead is the only Tibouren-dominant rosé in existence as far as we know: Clos Cibonne’s iconic, one-of-a-kind flagship Cuvée Tradition. Legendary amongst wine collectors for its texture, substance, and ability to age gracefully for a decade or more, it is a limited wine made exclusively with estate-grown, organic Tibouren grapes, and a bit of grenache to meet Côtes de Provence blending guidelines. The key to its singularity is the fact that the wine is aged in century-old foudres under a veil of flor, a technique more commonly associated with the Jura or Jerez. The result is an utterly unique, complex, and transportive experience, redolent of the stunning Mediterranean land and sea scapes from which it hails. Indeed, if forced to drink only one rosé for the rest of our lives, we very well might choose this one - and not even lament our cruel fate all that much. See you in 2027 and… Think Pink! The PlumpJack Wine & Spirits Team Clos Cibbone Cuvee Tradition 2024 Region/Country of Origin: Cotes de Provence, France About the Winemaking: The vineyard, one of 18 Crus Classés of Côtes de Provence, consists of traditional goblet trained vines located close to the Mediterranean Sea in the foothills of the Maures mountains, overlooking Toulon’s harbor. The microclimate of Clos Cibonne is especially important to the uniqueness of the wines, as the proximity of the ocean brings much needed cool air to the vineyards in the summer months. Their location at the foot of the Maures mountains ensures good east-west ventilation, which is ideal for the health and balance of the vineyard. After an early morning manual harvest, the grapes are destemmed and directly pressed. The must goes into temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, which are cooled to slow the fermentation process. After fermentation with native yeasts, the wine is racked into 120+ year-old foudres, where it ages biologically on the fine lees for one year sous-voile, under a thin veil of fleurette. Tasting Notes: “The 2024 Rosé Cuvée Tradition is a wild, exotic wine. Aged sous-voile in foudre for one year, this blend of 90% Tibouren and 10% Grenache unleashes a heady array of beeswax, stewed peach, chamomile, toasted bread and wild herbs. It’s a waxy, enveloping, utterly distinctive Rosé that is very much on the cerebral side, and also pushing the limits of VA. Quite honestly, the Tradition is unlike anything else I’ve ever tasted. Readers who haven’t tasted these wines before owe it to themselves to do so.” (BN) (Vinous.) Winemaker: Olivier Deforges Price per bottle /varietal $46.99 100% Tibouren Suggested Food Pairing: Grilled branzino with olive oil and lemon, Niçoise salad, Scallops, Goat cheese, Bouillabaisse
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May 2025 Rosé Club
Have we talked about Tibouren? The Provence region of southern France is, by any measure, the center of all things rosé. It produces more pink wine than any other place on the planet, including the category’s most prestigious iteration in Bandol; its glittering Mediterranean coastline, known as the Cote D’Azur or French Riviera, is the message most bottles aspire to send. Needless to say, we've been here a bunch before in Rosé Club, but I’m not sure we’ve ever talked about Tibouren. Almost all Provencal rosés are composed of grapes you’d also find next door in Rhône blends, and many other places - Spain, the US, Australia, South America - besides: Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Carignan, and Mourvedre, Bandol’s calling card, which must make up at least 50% of all the AOC’s reds and rosés. The only varietal that really belongs to Provence is the aforementioned Tibouren, which you could say is almost* exclusively associated with the area, except for the fact that almost nobody has ever heard of it in the first place. A thin-skinned black grape thought to have originated in Mesopotamia, Tibouren is distinguished by its intensely aromatic nose and herbal palate (a combination often called ‘garrigue’ in wine, after the Mediterranean vegetation, and denoting flavors of bay leaf, thyme, rosemary and sage), and various difficulties associated with its cultivation. Tibouren tends to produce irregular yields and is highly susceptible to coulure or “shatter,” which is when the grape fails to develop after flowering due to the plant’s metabolic response to extreme or unseasonal weather conditions. The mild and consistent climate along the Mediterranean coast thus provides its most propitious conditions, but even here, we’re talking about truly miniscule quantities. Our two bottles this month are among the very few that feature this most elusive vin-gredient, and in both cases Tibouren makes up no more than 15% of the blend. The garrigue still manages to sprout out though - and if you’re curious one of the producers here, Clos Cibonne, is arguably tighter with Tibouren than any other vigneron in the world. They’ve been cultivating it for decades, and make the only Tibouren dominated rosé and red bottlings I’ve ever come across. They are both a little too pricey for club placement, but absolutely worth trying, and available via the PlumpJack website or at the Noe Valley location. Think Pink! The PlumpJack Team *Tibouren is genetically identical to Rossesse, which is grown and bottled down the road in Liguria, in the Italian Riveria. Clos Cibonne Tentations Rosé 2024 Region: Côtes de Provence, France About the Vineyard: “Tentations” comes from the Schist-rich soils in La Crau and Carqueiranne; in a Mediterranean climate moderated by sea breezes. About the winemaking: The fruit for this cuvée, which is a blend of 50% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 15% Syrah, 15% Tibouren, is grown by vigneron neighbors with whom Clos Cibonne has long-standing relationships. The Tibouren comes from the fruit of young vines at Clos Cibonne that does not make it into the estate wine. Grapes are direct-pressed, and the must is fermented at low temperature in stainless steel tanks and aged on the lees for two months. Tasting notes: Pale salmon pink with aromas of strawberry, grapefruit peel, and dried herbs. The palate is crisp and refreshing, with subtle texture from lees aging and a clean, saline finish. Winemaker: Olivier Deforges Price per bottle/Price per case: $24.99 btl/ $269.89 Suggested Food Pairing: Provençal vegetables, tuna niçoise, shrimp skewers, olives and anchovies. Domaine Houchart Rosé 2023 Region: Côtes de Provence, France About the winery: Domaine Houchart is situated at the foot of Mount St. Victoire near Aix en Provence. Its sun-soaked terroir and vineyards sheltered from powerful Mistral winds set the stage for first-class winemaking. Rejuvenated in 1890 when purchased by Aurelien Houchart, the estate was later named after him by his great-great granddaughter, Genevieve Quiot. Today, Domaine Houchart is owned and run by Genevieve's children, Florence and Jean-Baptiste Quit. Consistently over delivering on quality, Famille Quit family brings versatile, well-rated, food-friendly wines to the glass. About the winemaking: This is a blend of Cinsault, Grenache Noir, Syrah, and Tibouren. Pneumatic pressing at 10°C. Stainless steel vats at 18°C. Tasting notes: This classic Provençal Rosé is focused, fresh and lively at an exceptional price point. Bursting with flavor from the first sip, this lively, crisp wine gives both intense acidity and great fruitiness. It's bright, with a line of fresh red currant flavors that are delicious and drinkable right now. Winemaker: Jean-Baptiste and Florence Quiot Price per bottle/Price per case: $15.99 btl case available upon request Suggested Food Pairing: Grilled salmon, leafy green salads, pork and poultry, sushi, or as an aperitif.
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