Chateau d'Esclans Garrus Rose 2019

As with Les Clans, this is from old vines (up to 100 years old in the case of Garrus), fermented and aged in 600l oak casks. It also shares with a sibling an ability to really deliver an above-average rosé, with subtle persistency and grip. This has an expansive mid palate that promises raspberry, redcurrant, rosemary and orange peel notes, along with pulses of minerality and a slate-textured finish. Definitely not a wine that needs to be left just for the summer months, this is a brilliant rosé that delivers on expectations.

This is really something for a rosé. Very powerful yet subtle aromas and flavors of dried strawberry, sliced lemon, mineral and a pinch of salt. Some fresh-herb undertones, such as sage. Hint of coconut. It’s full-bodied, yet so tight and compact with fantastic freshness and length. Goes on for minutes.

A pale, coppery rosé, the 2019 Cotes de Provence Rose Garrus is largely old-vine Grenache with a splash of Rolle (Vermentino). Barrel-fermented and aged almost a year in a mix of new and used demi-muids, it's silkier and more refined in feel than the Les Clans, with the oak playing more in the background. It still hints at pencil shavings on the nose, paired with white peach, cantaloupe and citrus notes, and it is still full-bodied on the palate, but it's silky and fine, with a gentle underlay of stone dust and a long, lingering finish. It should drink well for a couple more summers. Drink through 2023.