La Vidaubanaise Le Provencal Cotes de Provence Rose 2021
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Wong
Wilfred
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An ideal wine with lighter summer fare such as salads, pasta, grilled meats; exceptional with fish on the grill.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2021 La Vidaubanaise La Provence Rosé is charming, intricate, and juicy. TASTING NOTES: This wine shines with aromas and flavors of wild strawberries, tart raspberries, savory spices, and hints of cardamom. Enjoy it with oven-baked wild salmon fillets. (Tasted: August 20, 2022, San Francisco, CA)
Established in the town of Vidauban in 1922, the Maîtres Vignerons de la Vidaubanaise today control 600 hectares of vines in the heart of the Appellation Côtes de Provence. Located on the limestone foothills of the Maures massif in the southern Var, between the Mediterranean Sea and the Alps, the terroir benefits from the Mediterranean climate so beneficial for traditional southern varietals such as Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Carignan and Rolle. The various vineyard parcels are vinified separately, allowing for more character and complexity. Wines from the Maîtres Vignerons annually win numerous awards at competitions such as the Mondial du Rosé and the Concours General Agricole, as well as receiving regular references in the French wine press such as the Guide Hachette.
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.
Cotes de Provence is an extensive but valuable appellation that includes vineyards bordering the main Provencal appellations. Its sites vary from subalpine hills, which receive the cooling effects of the mountains to the north, to the coastal St-Tropez, a region mainly influenced by the warm Mediterranean sunshine.
Here the focus is on quality rosé, as it defines four fifths of the region’s wines. Following in the rosé footsteps, a lot of new effort is going into the region’s red production as well. A new generation has turned its focus on high quality Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Carignan. Cotes de Provence white wines, which represent a miniscule part of the region as far as volume, are nonetheless worthy of consideration and can include any combination of Clairette, Semillon, Ugni Blanc and Vermentino.