Domaine Fontchêne 'Leon' Rosé, Alpilles, Provence, France 2024

From the rocky, wind-swept foothills of Les Baux-de-Provence, Domaine Fontchêne crafts Léon Rosé as a soulful expression of terroir and thoughtful farming—alive with texture, freshness, and quiet complexity.

• WINEMAKER: René Milan
  
• FARMING: Organic, Biodynamic (uncertified)
• VARIETIES: 90% Grenache, 5% Cinsault, 5% Mourvèdre
• TERROIR: The vineyards sit on clay-loam soils strewn with galets roulés (rounded river stones), echoing Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s famous terroir. These stones absorb heat by day and release it at night, aiding ripening, while the Mistral wind keeps the vines dry and disease-free.
• VINEYARDS & VITICULTURE: Fontchêne farms biodynamically with true intent—not as marketing, but as practice. Selection massale is used for all new plantings, preserving clonal diversity. The estate ceased apex cutting in 2018, letting vines self-regulate their growth. Preparations 500 and 501 are employed to strengthen soil vitality and balance.
• VINIFICATION: Grapes are harvested by hand in small 15 kg boxes, preserving integrity, then pressed whole-cluster for purity. After a cold natural settling (~10°C), fermentation takes place in stainless steel at a gentle 18°C. Malolactic is blocked to retain freshness. The wine rests six months on fine lees with regular bâtonnage for added texture and complexity.
• AGING: Six months on fine lees in stainless steel tanks, with bâtonnage.
• TASTING NOTES: Pale pink with a silvery glint. Aromas of wild strawberry, blood orange, and Provençal herbs hover above a delicate mineral core. The palate is focused and tensile—juicy red fruit wrapped in a soft grip of saline and stone.
• FOOD PAIRINGS: Perfect with Niçoise salad, chilled langoustines, grilled peaches with burrata, or a wedge of young goat cheese on sourdough.