2021 Clos Cibonne Cuvee Prestige Caroline Rose

Region: Provence, France

Grape: Tibouren, Grenache

Culinary Suggestions: Middle Eastern Dishes, Lamb Curry, Mediterranean Seafood, Roasted White Meats

Vineyard Practice: Organic

About

Clos Cibonne is one of 18 Cru Classé growers in the Côtes de Provence AOP, and is in fact the most southerly. The estate’s 15 hectares of vineyards are located a mere 800 metres from the coast and are surrounded by hillsides in the base of a bowl that faces the sea. This topography creates air circulation extends the growing period whilst cooling the vines. The soil is a mixture of schist & clay. After harvest, the wines are fermented in stainless steel & some are then aged under fleurette (a

thin veil of yeast) in 100-year-old, 5000L foudres. The estate is managed organically. Grapes are all harvested by hand and the resultant wines are some of the most transparent in Southern France - the spices, herbs and salt that you can literally taste on the breeze, fill these wines. Whilst as with most estates in Provence, rosé is the focus, I am thrilled to also import one of Clos Cibonne's red wines, made exclusively from a local grape Tibouren. Lighter framed than many other Provence reds, this is fresh and vibrant, with a distinctly Mediterranean twang. - Importer Note

Tasting Notes

A blend of 90% Tibouren and 10% Grenache matured in 300-liter barrels over 10 months, the 2021 Cotes de Provence Rose Cuvee Prestige Caroline from Clos Cibonne has a lively, aromatic bouquet with aromas of spring flowers, garrigue, red berries, spices, iodine, sweet spices and perfectly integrated oaky notes. Medium to full-bodied, it’s enveloping and full-bodied, fruity and fresh, its gastronomic mid-palate segueing into a sappy finish. It's approachable now but also built to evolve gracefully over the next 3-5 years.

93 points - Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate June 2023

Drink: 2023 - 2028