Château Clementine is situated in the quaint village of Cuers, less than 10 miles from the Mediterranean coast. It’s in this history-steeped town where you’ll find 15th and 16th century architecture surrounded by rolling vineyards indentified under the Côtes de Provence appellation. After years of hard work, the family at Château Clementine recently made some upgrades: they revamped their 29 acres of vines, transitioned to an all-natural farming approach, and renovated their cellar in order to become a tour de fource within Provence. Even with the face-lift and organic/biodynamic conversions, their rosé remains inconceivably affordable. 

Their grapes in 2017 were harvested by hand before sunrise and were sorted upon arrival at their cellar in Cuers. They were lightly pressed and, like the best Champagnes, only the first pressings were selected. The juice then fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats and aged on its fine lees for several months. It was bottled unfined, which allows the wine to be labeled as ‘Vegan.’ The final blend was 40% Cinsault, 40% Grenache, and 20% Syrah. 

Château Clementine’s Côtes de Provence reveals a pale salmon-colored core in the glass with slight pink and silver reflections leading out to the rim. The nose is fine and delicate, showing off white and red flowers, crushed stone minerality, and subtle fruits. Expect creamy peach, Rainier cherry, watermelon rind, tangerine peel, white cherry blossoms, pomegranate, and wet stones with a subtle white pepper component on the finish. You’re greeted with an inviting medium bodied wine on the palate; it’s textured, soft, creamy, and a wild rush of minerality and savory freshness extend onto a wonderfully supple finish. Prepare yourself for the zipping acidity on the finish! This is the epitome of classy Provençal rosé and the additional concentration from both the vintage and lees aging puts this into an untouchable category. Pop and pour into all-purpose stems around 45-50 degrees and keep another bottle within reach. It’s absolutely perfect for any sort of spring/summer occasion. Enjoy Château Clementine on its own, with a cold cuts and cheese platter, or a sit-down meal of the attached Mediterranean fish marinade recipe. Enjoy!