Porquerolles, Côtes de Provence Rosé, Domaine de l'Ile Porquerolles 2022

The rosé harvest started on the same date as the white wine and continued for just shy of a fortnight. It was all over and done with before September kicked off, and like its sibling, this is a beautifully relaxed and enticing wine. I am told that there is considerable interest in the Tibouren variety at Domaine de l’Ile, and we can expect to see this grape play a more active role in the blend as Syrah wains. The final blend in this vintage is a racy 27% Grenache, 26% Cinsault, 22% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre and 5% Tibouren, and the shale and clay soils allow every aromatic element in this quartet of grapes to shine. All of the vines are farmed organically, as you might expect. With little handling involved, aside from excellent vineyard husbandry and sensitive winemaking a given, Pierre explained that the critical decision each year is on what date they pick each parcel of vines. It is safe to say that in 2022 Pierre and his team nailed these decisions! Again a beautiful background of shy saltiness allows the rose petal, rhubarb stalk and melon nuances to shine, and, in common with the white wine, the herbal and forest tones bring even more drama to proceedings. This is my favourite Domaine de L’Ile release to date, and this is solely down to the heavenly texture and seriously impressive length of finish. Apparently, the ‘mistral dew’ played a big part in the success of these 2022s. This is the first time I have heard this expression used, and I urge you to deploy it at every gathering where you serve these fantastic wines (I will be doing so). You will leave your guests stunned and hopefully a little bewildered with your advanced wine terminology and unquestionable Porquerolles expertise. 18.5/20 (drink now – 2024)

Instantly brilliant in the glass, the 2022 Cotes de Provence Rose Porquerolles is an attractive wine evoking aromas of iodine, spices, menthol, red berries, lime and crushed stone. Precise and crystalline with pristine balance, it’s tense, vibrant and energetic with notes of iodine on the salty finish. A perfect expression of schists soils. Bravo! This is a blend of Grenache, Vermentino, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Tibouren.