This year's Decanter World Wine Awards Regional Trophy for Rosé Regional France under £15 went to Domaine de Rimauresq, Classique, Côtes de Provence 2013 (13%)
Tasted against:
- No other Golds in this category
Profile:
Taking it s name from the Real Mauresque river that flows through its vineyards, this estate can lay claim to producing, with its Classique cuvée, one of Provence’s reference-point rosés.
Rimauresq was recognised as a cru classé of Provence in 1955 and has remained a leading light ever since. Halfway between Nice and Marseille and just 35km from the coast, it has 57 hectares of vineyards at an altitude of between 140m to 190m. The fruit benefits both from the cooling strength of the Mistral wind and its location in the foothills of the Maures Massif, which protects it from the intense summer sun.
There are three distinct terroirs here, with soils featuring schist, pink sandstone and galet roulés – the rocky pebbles most commonly associated with Châteauneufdu- Pape. Vines are densely packed to encourage root depth, and organic manure and compost are used to fertilise.
The Trophy-winning 2013 is a complex blend of eight varieties: Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Tibouren and Rolle. The grapes are macerated on their skins for several hours to imbue the wine with an onion-skin colour. Leesstirring gives texture and complexity and malolactic fermentation is avoided to retain a firm backbone and zest.
Written by Georgina Hindle
