Sommelier Notes for September
by Bill Summerville
Provence
Pink, But Not Rosé
There is magic in Provence.
Lavender, olive trees, sunflowers, Van Gogh, Cary Grant & Grace Kelly in “To Catch a Thief.” Provence has so completely captured our imaginations that even if you’ve never been it feels like you have.
And so it was with this in mind that I travelled to Provence for a woman I had never actually been in the same room with. We ate like peasants as she would often say- tomatoes, anchovies, olives, figs plucked directly from the tree. Of course we drank rosé. We drank rosé on the ocean-side beach of St. Tropez where there were no yachts nor tourists. And we drank rosé on the tiniest beach just past Cannes. But the rosé we fell in love with was Clos Cibonne Tibouren.
This was a wine I had always admired and so it was very exciting for us to visit the Roux Family and be in these historic vineyards. I say historic because the Roux Family ancestors bought the vineyards from Jean Baptiste Cibon, a captain in Louis XVI’s navy who fled the country during the French Revolution. We toured the property and tasted vintages back to the 1980s. It was a special morning.
The mystery and magic of this rosé is that it can live so long and become so complex. Some believe this is the result of the oxidative maturation process of aging in 130 year old wooden barrels. During this time a layer of yeast (fleurette) forms adding to its complexity.
I like to say, “It’s pink, but not rosé.” meaning it may look like typical rosé, but its beguiling complexity and lush silkiness make you realize this is not a wine to be tossed back on a patio.
Why is rosé the perfect partner for Provencal food- those figs plucked directly from the tree?
It could be the nature of a wine that is neither white nor red.
Maybe it’s the association with Provence or that we just want it to be the perfect wine. Perhaps it’s nostalgia. I’m not sure it matters.
There is a magic in Provence and so it’s no wonder that this wine was born here.
Clos Cibonne has become harder to come by and it is a bit of a special occasion rosé so if you can’t find it or prefer another, many rosé will do, but start your search in Provence.
I will always love drinking Clos Cibonne.
