Chateau de l'Aumerade Cotes de Provence Rose, Cuvee Marie Christine

Producer Note

The Château de l'Aumérade is a 400 year old estate located in in the heart of Provence. Originally belonging to the Aumerat family, the traditional Mas property dates back to the Renaissance period. In 1594, the Duke of Sully, Henry VI's finance minister, presented the Château with a Mulberry tree and Plane trees for their luxurious gardens, as a gift for supplying the Royal Court. In 1930, a young Henri Fabre and his wife Charlotte, fell in love with the Château de l'Aumérade, with its 300 hectares of estate vineyards and purchased it from the Aumerat family. The Château was designated as a Cru Classé when the Provence appellation was created in 1955, a system classifying the wine estate rather than the vineyard area. It is one of only 18 that still remain in the designation. The Château has been handed down though the family and is currently run by Caroline Demey.

Vineyard

The Cuvée Marie-Christine rosé is made exclusively from an 89 hectare Cru Classé parcel, located on the plains of Pierrefeu. The mineral rich terroir of red clay and limestone soils in this parcel provide good drainage and the vines receive a cooling ventilation from the salty Mistral winds blowing in from the sea just a few miles away.

Winemaking

The harvest took place at the beginning of September and the grapes were immediately de-stemmed. The berries were gently pressed and the juice was carefully selected and cooled to 13°C. Following a static settling, a 10 day alcoholic fermentation took place under temperature controlled conditions of between 15 to 18°C, preserving the integrity of the primary aromas. Racking and blending took place at the end of the year with tartaric stabilisation and filtration.

Tasting Note

A lovely pale powder pink hue, with refreshing aromas of grapefruit leading to succulent peach and apricot on the palate. Fruit forward and full, with a hint of spice, this elegant rosé has a refreshing acidity and a long finish.

Serving Suggestion

Serve chilled as an elegant apéritif or as an ideal accompaniment to Mediterranean or lightly spiced Asian cuisine; sushi, exotic fusion food and grilled fish.

Grape

Cinsault 35%, Grenache 35%, Syrah 30%