Domaine du Bagnol Rosé, Cassis, Provence 2023

Domaine du Bagnol 2023 Rosé, Cassis, Provence, France

Farming: Organic

Variety:   Grenache (45%), Cinsault (35%), Mourvèdre (20%)

Winemaker: Sébastien Genovesi

Terroir: The 7 hectare domaine sits just beneath the imposing limestone outcropping of Cap Canaille and is a mere 200 meters distance from the shores of the Mediterranean. The domaine is the beneficiary of the cooling winds from the north, northwest and northeast (Tramontane, Mistral and grégal) as well as the gentle sea breezes that come ashore. The grapes for the rosé are sourced form 55 year old bush vines planted in clay-limestone soils. 

Vinification: Grapes are hand harvested. After sorting, crushing, and destemming, wine is fermented with selected yeasts in stainless-steel vat. The grapes undergo gentle pneumatic pressing. Rosé is direct pressed and sees no maceration. The wine spends 6 months on fine lees, and malolactic fermentation is blocked. 

Aging: 3-6 months in stainless-steel tank. 

Tasting: A wine that transports you to the southern coast of France, this dry rose has aromas of fresh ruby grapefruit, petite wild strawberry, wet limestone and tarragon. 

From our July 2023 Club notes:

Domaine du Bagnol Rosé, Cassis, Provence, France 2022

I love this rosé. I mean, I LOVE this rosé. In the last vintage, I got to know this bottling because I drank it every few weeks, and it quickly became my wine of the summer. This year I was patiently awaiting its arrival as it took its long journey across the globe to reach us. FINALLY, it arrived two weeks ago to much pomp & circumstance (provided by yours truly)! Why am I obsessed? Well, you'll see. Pop it open! 

This hyper classic rosé comes from the region of Cassis, on France's southern Provençal coast. Keeping with local tradition, it's a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre.  Domaine du Bagnol is a magnificent 17-acre estate that sits just 200 meters from the shore in the shadow of the imposing Cap Canaille, a formidable limestone outcropping. The estate is owned by Jean-Louis Genovesi, a native of Cassis who had departed for Paris and made his fortune in the capital before returning home in the 80s to buy this historic estate. Today, his son Sébastien oversees winemaking. In its picturesque location, the domaine is the beneficiary of the cooling winds from nearly every direction, allowing the 55-year-old gnarly bush vines to ripen with patience and style under the Mediterranean sun.

This rose is deliciously thirst-quenching and satisfying. The grapes are harvested by hand and, after sorting, crushing, and destemming, are fermented with selected yeasts in stainless-steel vat. The wine then spends 6 months on fine lees, building a bit of weighty texture, and malolactic fermentation is blocked to maintain a crisp, zippy acidity. This Cassis rosé is perfect for summer--zesty raspberries, juicy blood oranges, flinty minerality, and freshly picked thyme were some of my tasting notes, but truthfully I was too busy washing down the wine with some ripe triple cream cheese and a seaside view, as it was meant to be enjoyed! — Simi Grewal