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Domaine de Ramatuelle, Tibouren Rosé

Provence, France 2019 (750mL)
$28.00
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Domaine de Ramatuelle, Tibouren Rosé

The allure of Provence knows no bounds: There is a marked energy and vivid sense of identity to the top bottlings of rosé that provides the most superbly refreshing summer experience. And what’s more thrilling than one that (1) is composed of sustainably farmed old vines from the rarely encountered Tibouren grape and (2) is being unveiled in America for the first time ever? Really, there’s only one sensible thing to do after you notice its $28 price tag: Secure a case because Ramatuelle’s 2019 Tibouren is the cheapest one-way ticket to Provence you’ll ever find. 
We’ve repeatedly said that the vetting process for all of our wines is fairly intense, but we judge rosé to an even more extreme degree since innumerable legions of it flood the market each year. That’s why we were so stunned to learn that Ramatuelle mouth-watering, old-vine (40 years average, the oldest 110+!) Tibouren returned zero searches online and had never been imported into the US before today. Its singular mineral imprint, sun-kissed fruit, and impossible-to-put-down deliciousness has caused all of us to stockpile it in our own homes. We suggest you do the same!
Like the Clos Cibonne we offered a couple of months prior, Ramatuelle is passionate about showcasing the ancient, time-honored Tibouren grape, which traces its roots to before the Roman Empire. In concert with an impressive list of sustainable-minded growers, Domaine de Ramatuelle is not actually located in Ramatuelle, but further inland in Brignoles, one of the many historic and charming villages that are peppered about the sprawling hillsides of Côtes de Provence. 

Today’s Tibouren-dominated cuvée is rounded out with 15% Grenache, both of which come from two Mediterranean Sea-hugging communes, Ramatuelle and Gassin just below the world-favorite destination of Saint-Tropez. Within these two communes, Ramatuelle’s team of growers sustainably farms 35 small, unique, sandy-schist parcels that are predominately old vines planted in the 1950s—with some planted in the early 1900s! After harvesting in September, the grapes are briefly macerated before the delicate juice undergoes a temperature-controlled fermentation with indigenous yeasts. It aged on its fine lees in concrete and stainless steel tanks for a few months before bottling with a very low dose of sulfur. 

Come the end of summer, we urge you to line up all the rosé you’ve taken down, and I bet today’s Provençal stunner will be jockeying for the top spot. In the glass, Ramatuelle’s Tibouren pours a highly reflective salmon pink with silver hues. As long as you have a cold bottle (45 degrees) and an all-purpose stem, there’s no need for anything else. That’s the beauty of Provençal rosé: It’s not finicky or demanding—just pop and pour and enjoy one of the greatest refreshments known to mankind. It blasts out ultra-pure and mouth-watering notes of white peach, Rainier cherry, Ruby Red grapefruit, watermelon rind, citrus blossoms, tangerine peel, crushed stones, garrigue, rose water, and steely minerality. You’re greeted with a breathtakingly fresh rosé on the palate that stays laser-sharp despite flaunting creamy textures and supple, piquant fruits. It’s fresh, mineral, and creamy all at once, with a historic pedigree and a deep connection to the dusty soils and fragrant scrubland of Provence. I really must impress upon you how great of an investment opportunity this is—twelve bottles will make you happier than one $300 bottle. Cheers!

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Country
France
Region
Provence
Sub-Region
FranceCôtes de Provence
Soil
Sandy Schist
Farming
Organic Practices
Blend
Tibouren 85%, Grenache 15%
Alcohol
12.5
TEMP.
45
Glassware
All-Purpose
Drinking
Now-2022
Decanting
Not Needed
Pairing
Fresh Summer Salad

France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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