Château D'Aqueria, Tavel Rosé

Alcohol percentage: 14%

Area:
Tavel, on the banks of the Rhône, is the one French appellation dedicated to only rosé wine. Interestingly, the regulations dictate a minimum 12 hour maceration on the skins, keen to retain the deep colour that has always been the area’s trademark.

Grape variety:
Grenache Noir, Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Bourboulenc. So, about a third white grapes (unusually for a rosé). Fermented and aged in stainless steel, to retain freshness.

Vintage:
Aqueria is a large estate of 70 hectares (around 150 acres), now owned by the prestigious négociant, Guigal.

The Bottle Shop rating:
Unusually deep in colour (by the ubiquitous standards of today’s pink contingent). It certainly has plenty of fruit, but it remains resolutely dry and fresh. A food rosé, if ever there was one.