Domaine La Suffrene, Bandol, 2018, Provence, France
Lashings if black fruit, rich, elegant, with earthiness and leather under tones and well integrated oak and vanilla hints make this province red a delicious treat. Granted at £25 a bottle it’s not cheap. Great with red meat or rich tomato pasta.
Maison Gutowski, M–G Rosé Grande Cuvée, 2019, Provence, France
Provence normally screems rosé and this is typical of Provence, albeit this one from Maison Gutowski is a good rosé.
There’s not much on the nose but there are sublime flavours of redcurrants, citrus, watermelon and grapefruit. It’s dry, high in acidity and refreshing. It’s over £15 a bottle so not cheap, that’s the only fault in it.
We went to Chateau De Berne and carried this Rouge 2014 back from Provence.
Wine in a square bottle is a De Berne thing, thankfully it doesn’t adversely effect the wine. Made with mostly with Syrah and chunk of Cabernet Sauvignon this is a dry, medium red colour and reasonably light wine. You get a hit of black cherry and plum on the noise with a hint of herbacious in there. This follows through in the taste with medium tannings and a pretty smooth texture. This is a fruit driven wine more than big tannins that grip your mouth.
At about Eur20 a bottle its not cheap, its good but a little overpriced.
Chateau De Berne, Rouge 2014, Provence, France
Made with Granache and Cinsault it has a beautifully pale colour. There are aromas of raspberry, redcurrant with fresh minerality and a hint of citrus. The redcurrant and minerality flood through in the flavours. It’s a fresh, light, dry wine but the fruit characters are always at the front.
This is a excellent example of a Provence rose. So drinkable and at about £6 a bottle fantastic value.
Cotes de Provence rose infinite 2016, France
Puglia in the heel of Italy is more famous for its red fruity wine which is low in tannins, soft and easy drinking. This is the rose equivalent.
The first impression is that this is very Provence in style, a little more colour but just a shade darker. You don’t get a lot of aroma, subtle hints of strawberry and redcurrant with a little blossom. The flavours are again subtle with the red fruits and a fresh finish, youthful and light.
At about £10 a bottle it competes with Provence’s rose’s and holds its own. For the summer it’s perfect evening garden wine watching the sunset.
Masseria Pietrosa Primitivo Rosato, Puglia in Italy
As summer fast approaches the salads come out at meal times, the BBQ gets pulled out and the garden furniture gets used. It’s also the time when Rose wine gets drunk. Sure us Brits don’t get the weather that Provence in France gets but we do like their wine, drunk in the garden. This is a typical Provence Rose, light, dry, hints of strawberry, peach and easy drinking. Not a gold medal winner but does what it says on the bottle. At under £10 a bottle Majestic have got it right with this wine.
Majestic winemaker series Rose