GARRUS 2022 - CHATEAU D' ESCLANS

Garrus from Château d’Esclans is the best rosé wine on Earth, and we’re not the ones that say that (although we totally agree) but James Suckling, who gives it top marks every year (95 for 2022). Wine Enthusiast, Andrea Larson, and Falstaff are also on board. This wine is a true champion, and if you don’t try it, you’ll never understand why everyone’s raving about it.

When Sacha Lichine acquired the Château d’ Esclans winery in Provence in 2006, he had a vision of creating the world’s finest rosé wine and igniting a “rosé renaissance”. This vision gave birth to Garrus Chateau d’ Esclans, the pinnacle of rosés globally. Garrus is crafted from the finest grapes from a single vineyard, boasting 100-year-old vines. The blend comprises Grenache, Rolle (Vermentino), and Syrah. The wine’s remarkable palate structure is achieved through a harmonious combination of free-flowing juice (90%) and soft-pressed juice (10%). Fermentation and maturation occur in new and 2nd use 600-litre French oak barrels, for 10 months, with frequent bâtonnage. This Burgundian-standard approach ensures consistent quality. The age of the vines imparts dense, pure fruit flavours and depth, while the meticulous use of oak and bâtonnage contributes to the wine’s exuberant volume, velvety texture and complexity.

It has a pale salmon colour. Its intense aromas include white cherry, raspberry, strawberry, sweet pear, pink grapefruit, caramelised peach, and orange zest. Ginger, brioche, hazelnut, vanilla, nutmeg, and white pepper add even more complexity.

On the palate, it has a rich body, impressively creamy texture that balances out with the crisp acidity and fine tannins that give it a sense of “grand cru” structure. Notes of cherry, raspberry, ripe peach, nectarine, glazed pear, baked meringue, pineapple, vanilla, roasted hazelnut, and bergamot compose a truly delightful palate. The mineral and spicy aftertaste lingers in the mouth for a long time.