Looking for the best rosé? Look no further than Provence. Rosé is made all over the world, but Provence has captured people’s imagination like no other with its delicately hued wine that encapsulates al-fresco drinking. We’ve put together a list of the best Provence rosé based on the finest bottles from this year’s IWSC.
Rosé’s popularity has soared over the past decade, particularly in the US, and Provence has been at the forefront of the charge. Its light onion-skin shade, presented in tall, elegant ‘skittle’ bottles have given it huge appeal to the Instagram crowd, too, helped along by a number of celebrities launching their own rosés, most famously Brad Pitt who bought Château Miraval, located in Var.
Rosés from Provence are rarely heavy and full-bodied; on the contrary, the trademark character is vibrant and easy-drinking, made with classic southern French varieties Grenache and Cinsault, helped now and again with the addition of white grape Vermentino to the blend to freshen things up.
One of the star Provence performers in this year’s IWSC was Villa Moncigale Cicada La Légende 2022, which scored 95/100 and earned a Gold Medal. The judges described the wine as ‘bright and expressive’, with a complex nose, fruity palate, great minerality and length.
Mirabeau Pure 2022 was another star of the show, and was awarded 93/100 and a Silver Medal. A Grenache-forward blend, the wine delivered ‘raspberries, peony and spices’ and a textured palate.
These award-winners, along with every other Provence rosé entered into this year’s IWSC, were tasted blind by an expert panel led by Dirceu Vianna Junior MW. He was assisted by Master Sommelier Eric Zwiebel, wine consultant Cat Lomax and wine writer and broadcaster David Kermode.
If you’ve yet to discover the delights of Provence rosé, the following selection should convince you. Here is our pick of the best Provence rosés from this year’s IWSC.
HOW DO WE JUDGE THESE WINES?
We run a tightly structured, rigorous wine tasting process. That means that each wine sample is pre-poured into numbered glasses and assessed blindly by the judges. Most importantly, our IWSC wine judges are experts in their field, who work across all sectors of the wine industry. For evidence, see our full list of judges.
HOW DO WE SCORE THESE WINES?
Only the best wines sampled receive a Gold or Silver award. For example, to win Gold, wines have to score between 95 and 100 points. Meanwhile, Silver wines range from 90 to 94 points. Click here to read more on our scoring system.
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8 of the best Provence rosés from the IWSC
Villa Moncigale, Cicada La Légende 2022
Mirabeau, Pure 2022
Château La Gordonne, Vérité Du Terroir 2022
Château Beaulieu, Cuvée Alexandre 2022
Chateau de Calavon, Agathe 2022
Villa Moncigale, Cicada L’envol 2022
Léoube, Love 2022
Maison Saint Aix 2022
