Domaine de la Courtade Les Terrasses Rosé 2020
Off the coast of France's famed wine region of Provence, there is a seven-by- three-kilometer island with only 200 residents. Small in size, yes; but its beauty led to a National Park declaration in 1963 and is currently home to three wineries. As of the 1980s, around three dozen hectares of this land belong to winery Domaine de la Courtade - which was also certified organic by 1997. Family-run with decades of extensive winemaking knowledge, the Domaine has come along way since its beginnings as part of an agricultural push to prevent forest fires in the area. And now, its delicious Les Terrasses Rosé 2020 is on the shelves at LUSH serving as our next pick for All May Rosé.
Schist and clay riddled throughout the vineyard's hills allow for rich moisture, leading to particularly juicy harvests of Vermentino, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Syrah, Sémillon, and Cinsault. The vineyard's terroir-forward approach yields a variety of wines and blends, but its Les Terrasses Rosé is the perfect choice to sip on with the warm weather already underway. The rosé itself is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Vermentino and Mourvèdre, and ages in stainless steel for four-to-five months.
A glass of the Les Terrasses Rosé yields watermelon, peach and apricot on the nose, as well as a faint nuttiness. Its taste palate has ample acidity and complexity with a combination of orange rind and a hint of salt, making way for balanced wine that can quench thirst. Delicious alone, it pairs well with fresh seafood dishes like tartare or grilled whole fish; or it can amplify its food counterparts, such as the more nuanced flavors of sushi. Although the best setting for drinking the Les Terrasses Rosé is, perhaps, at the Domaine de la Courtade winery itself - near the rocky shores of the Mediterranean and rolling hillsides of the island - this wine can transport its drinkers to such a place with just a single sip.
