If you are looking for a light and fruity rosé wine to drink as an aperitif then keep looking as Les Clans from Château D’Esclans is the exact opposite: a rosé with an exuberant character, rich body and structure, that demands food. Jancis Robinson MW, for example, pairs it with creamy lobster dishes or with Ottolenghi’s chicken dishes. If you are looking for a rosé with 97 points (Best in Show) from Decanter, reminiscent to a Meursault-style white Burgundy, according to wine critics and sommeliers, then you have just found it!
The Château d’Esclans, acquired in 2006, set out to create the world’s finest rosé wines. Whispering Angel and the iconic Garrus brought global recognition, marking the “rosé renaissance” and elevating the name of the genius Sacha Lichine. Beyond its own vineyards, the estate operates as a négociant, sourcing the best grapes from privileged Provence sites annually for their renowned rosés.
Les Clans, exclusively from privately owned vineyards aged 50-55 years, ensures exceptional raw material. Harvested with meticulous precision, only the finest Grenache and Rolle grapes, after meticulous sorting, are used. The free-run “nectar” and a small percentage of the first pressing juice (for added texture) are fermented in 600-litre oak barrels and stainless steel tanks. After 11 months in first, second, and third-use barrels with frequent bâtonnage, the wine achieves a dense, unique character beyond classic rosés. Stone and citrus fruits dominate, complemented by the spicy French oak reminiscent of white Burgundy.
Try Les Clans from Château D’Esclans now, one of the greatest wines of Provence and a rosé with impressive aging potential that will captivate you.
