Chateau Peyrassol, XIIIE, Cotes de Provence, France Rose 2023

LA BASTIDE PEYRASSOL

This new estate cuvée was created on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the acquisition of the Commanderie de Peyrassol by Philippe Austruy. The very soul of the estate, La Bastide reflects the colours of Peyrassol’s terroir. Its unique bottle and free-form label, created by the designer Pierre Yovanovitch, combine authenticity and modernity in perfect harmony with this wine which reveals the taste of fruit without any diversion.

Soil

Clay and limestone from the inland valleys, combined with some plots of cool, deep terroirs. The freshness is maintained by the choice of plots with northern exposure.

Grape varieties

55 % Grenache – 30 % Cinsault – 15 % Syrah

Growing

Agriculture under organic conversion. Sowing of cereals in the inter-row to favour soil life, careful plot selection, manual harvesting of the oldest vines.

Vinification

Harvesting was determined by a precise selection of parcels based on the evolution of maturity controls. The harvest was then guided by lunar calendar: most of the parcels were harvested between September 6th and 11th, 2020. Traditional vinification in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats after delicate pneumatic pressing

Ageing

At the end of fermentation, a light racking in the clear allows only the best of the lees to be kept, which are then carefully worked to favour both the aromatic expression and its long-lasting potential.

Tasting notes

Soft colour reminiscent of rose petals. Fresh flowers, delicate and tasty fruits, perfectly interweave revealing its typically Provencal airy character. The nose supports the palate with its fresh, typical fruit notes, characteristic of our grape varieties. The attack is very smooth, fully expressing the blend. The wine’s lingering velvety profile takes over the whole palate before moving to a delicate, thirst-quenching iodic finish.

Pairing

Its fruitiness and freshness allow this wine to accompany with panache a chicken tagine with lemon and candied apricots or even a grilled octopus a la plancha.

A thousand years of history

Before producing some of the best rosés in the whole of Provence, La Commanderie de Peyrassol lived through an extraordinary history unlike that of any other estate. Archaeological findings show that human occupation dates back to the beginning of the Iron Age (1,000 years BC).

The Gallo-Roman period has left even more evidence, especially with the remains of an architectural complex with massive walls which must have been used for agricultural purposes. But, undoubtedly, La Commanderie de Peyrassol entered the history books at the beginning of the 13th Century.

In 1204, the Count of Provence, Alphonse II, donated the estate to the Order of the Knights Templar. This is when “Peirasson” became one of the many Templar commanderies in Provence. The life of the soldier-monks was punctuated by prayers, military training, land reclamation, tax collection and welcoming pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land. The 1,000 hectares of arable land, pastures, woodland, and scrubland part of the estate were used for a variety of agricultural purposes. Cereals, vegetables, olive groves, animal rearing… ensured the livelihood of the small community. The vineyard was an integral part of this polyculture. It produced a wine, which was not yet a rosé, traces of which can be found in a parchment dated 1256 kept in Marseille, reporting the sale of “44 mirolles of good frank wine”.

The estate was purached In 2001 by Philippe Austruy, a wine lover, besotted with perfection and respectful of the memories that inhabit this historic estate.

This was the beginning of a new era for La Commanderie de Peyrassol, and the Château Peyrassol vineyard, thanks to the new owner who fell in love with the estate, the landscapes, and its history.