A Rosé with Food
... Miraval's upmarket option ...
Following a very broad search for another rosé, this newish variant from Miraval hits the mark as a perfect pairing with food.
There is a positive lift in acidity levels in this ‘Sainte Victoire’ offering that stands out amongst a few dozen tasted, and it is a wine that would sit superbly with some richer nibbles as a pre-supper aperitif, or more precisely with a selection of shellfish: langoustine, crevettes grise, very buttery potted shrimps, or a richly flavoured fish pie on a Friday evening, spring to mind.
Miraval started as a project from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who very sensibly asked the Perrin family - famous for their Château Beaucastel from Châteauneuf-du-Pape - to make this wine. This new ‘extension’ comes from high ground in the Sainte Victoire region of Provence. Montagne Saint-Victoire was used in many paintings by Cezanne, who could see it from his studio in Aix. From 2005, two sub-appellations of Côtes de Provence were created: Sainte-Victoire and Fréjus.
It is made entirely from the Cinsault grape, one of the mainstays of Southern Rhône production, and the concentration of fruit combined with the very balanced, but gently enhanced acidity, gives it sufficient backbone to sit very well over many lunches and suppers this summer. Majestic seems to be the primary stockist.
Miraval ‘Sainte Victoire’ Rosê 2024, Côtes-de-Provence
£20.50 - Majestic (usual price £27) - merchant link
