2020 Côtes de Provence Rosé Clos Sainte Magdeleine

Wine & Dine Wednesday brings the first of the season rosé to our shelves. I am a huge fan of anything Kermit Lynch imports, feeling quite lucky to now be stocking some of his ‘always tasty’ finds. This Sainte Magdeleine from Provence kicks off our rosé buying. Incredibly tasty indeed. Even on the chilly days we have been having, it brings a bit of sunshine to the table. I will let the good folks of Kermit Lynch fill you in with their beautiful wine speak.

Blanc has always been the focus since we began importing Clos Sainte Magdeleine’s wines in the late 1970s, with their fennel–and sea-salt-inflected Cassis setting the standard for Mediterranean whites. But don’t forget the new rosé in the Clos Sainte Magdeleine lineup. The Côtes de Provence is sourced from a vineyard in La Ciotat, about halfway between Cassis and Bandol and not far from the Mediterranean coast. Using a similar blend to their original Cassis rosé, vigneron Jonathan Sack has crafted what is perhaps the quintessential Provençal refresher—an uplifting nectar of bright citrus, fresh berry fruit, wild herbs, and salty sea air—that is a far cry from the countless technological, mass-marketed examples in production throughout the region.

The Côtes de Provence rosé bears a distinct sense of place, and it’s someplace we all want to be: under the sun, by the sea, glass in hand, a bowl of briny olives within reach. Monsieur, a refill, s’il vous plaît!