‘Cuvée Edalise’, Côtes de Provence Rosé, Maison Boutinot

Delightfully crisp and refreshing, as Provence rosé should be. Delicate pale salmony pink in colour, with notes of white peaches, redcurrants and mandarin.

Boutinot’s Samantha Bailey believes the perfect Provence rosé should, on the one hand, be a harmonious blend of florals, berry fruit, spice, body and finesse, and on the other, a pretty shade of pink that entices the eye. When she discovered ten different cuvées of Provençal varieties within a single cellar she felt she could create this style of rosé. By trialling different varieties in varying proportions (as the relative freedom of the Côtes de Provence appellation regulations allow) she perfected the blend to create Edalise. The final selection of Grenache, Cinsault and Rolle may seem typical, yet cuvées of the same variety have quite different characteristics depending on the vineyards position. For example, Grenache – which forms the major part of the blend – from coastal areas gives red berry fruit, while from rockier, calcerous areas gives white peach notes. Cinsault offers delicate spice and an herbaceous twist while Rolle offers delicate floral aromatics of orange blossom and mandarin. Samantha’s skill lies first in finding then blending these nuances so that there is harmony between each component part, lifting the wine to give finesse and length of finish while also achieving the delicate, ethereal colour expected of a Côtes de Provence rosé at this level.