THE SERIOUS SIDE OF ROSE

IN FRANCE'S PROVENCE REGION, TOP ESTATES PUSH QUALITY TO NEW HEIGHTS, PROVING ROSÉ CAN BE A TERROIR-DRIVEN WINE

- KRISTEN BIELER

With its rapid rise in popularity over the past decade, rosé occupies the contradictory position of being embraced as the luxury pour of summer, while not being taken seriously as wine. The deluge of lackluster bottles turned out to meet consumers' feverish demand has not helped its reputation.

"Rosé has become like Beaujolais Nouveau years ago-producers rush it to market quickly and everyone focuses on simple aromatics instead of substance," says winemaker Daniel Ravier of Domaine Tempier in Provence's elite Bandol appellation. "Many people still think rosé is not a real wine."

Yet across rosé's spiritual homeland of Provence, ambitious vintners such as Ravier craft wines that challenge this perception. They are making complex, distinctive versions that channel their terroirs and make the case for rosé as something more than poolside refreshment. Harnessing their region's old vines and relying on a mélange of grapes both well-known and obscure, these specialists are using artisan winemaking techniques to illuminate a range of styles.

In the Mediterranean climate of southeastern France, many of these vintners were honing their craft long before the recent vogue for pink wine. This experience was crucial in a challenging growing season such as 2021-plagued by spring frost, drought, summer fires, and uneven ripening when the top estates set themselves apart.

WHAT MAKES A GREAT ROSÉ

Any red grape can be vinified into rosé. But the best Provençal versions, like any great wines, showcase a sense of place, while offering balance, length, and vibrancy. This level of achievement requires unusual expertise to craft.