In the Côtes du Luberon, the rosés benefit from the warmth of the Mediterranean climate in the southern Rhône Valley.
Copyright 2014 Inter-Rhône
Today, in the second day of tasting through the rosé d’asiette wines (food-friendly blushes) of the Rhone wine region, I’m taking a look at Côtes du Luberon, an AOC created in 1988, where the rosés often benefit from the warmth of the Mediterranean climate in the southern Rhône Valley but with the altitude and proper shepherding can result in rosés that are far from flabby and can be a food-lover’s best friend. The region – a mountain appellation, which might be surprising to some especially due to the pronouncedly fruity wines that can come here – is in the extreme southeastern part of the Rhone, next door to Ventoux, and geographically it’s pretty much in Provence, actually. The terroir is rich, with Miocene sands in the “Pays d’Aigue” area, limestone scree at the foot of the mountain, and the red clay found specifically in the Apt area.
The wine I have here is the Marrenon Petula 2012 Rosé (95% Syrah, 5% Grenache), a single-vineyard wine. Coming from vineyards that are located at some altitude, allowing for slow maturation, this gastronomic rosé retains a good level of acidity and a low level of residual sugar that lets it play nicely with food as long as you can keep the spice in check (note to self: the samosa wasn’t a great idea). Though perhaps less forgiving than some rosés, the Petula pairs nicely with fish and chicken dishes, with a simple roast chicken dinner working splendidly.
Copyright 2014 Inter-Rhône
For more on the wines and wineries of the Côtes du Luberon, hop on over to http://www.vins-luberon.fr/.