Rosé de Léoube, Côtes de Provence, 2010

Provence claims to have the oldest of France’s vineyards. From the 2nd Century BC, the Romans expanded winegrowing in the area, introduced four centuries earlier by the Phoenicians. Then, in the Middle Ages, the monastic orders and noble families came to head up numerous Provencal estates, an era when vineyards were to increase considerably in size and stature. It was probably in the 14th Century when the magnificent Château Léoube was built near the village of Bormes-les- Mimosas, in the Var region.

Seduced by Leoube’s history, its beautiful setting and by its potential, the Bamford family decided to buy the estate back in 1997, their aim was to make wines with character. Implementation of their ethos began ten years ago, with the recruitment of Romain Ott, former owner of the iconic Domaine d’Ott. Now with Jean Jacques Ott at the helm, the estate is well on the way to obtaining the "wine made from organically grown grapes" label certified by the ECOCERT organisation.

A blend of Grenache and Cinsault with a little bit of Syrah and Mouvèdre, this rosé is full, spicy but has all the expected elegance of a Côte de Provence.