Fruity and dry: These 5 rosé wines are perfect for summer
By Mario Mirschberger
From very pale rosé to a strong bright red: rosé wine comes in a wide variety of colors and with a wide variety of aromas. Its taste is apparently a universal weapon on the wine market, because everyone can now agree on rosé wine. The best season for a cold glass of rosé wine is clearly midsummer. In the evening under the open sky, well chilled – these are those summer moments that you want to create right now. However, in order for the rosé wine to taste good, you should not just buy just any wine. We looked around for the five best rosé wines of the summer and found everything : from well-designed bottles to sustainable concepts to honest craftsmanship.
You’ve probably come across the name Whispering Angel in connection with rosé wine . This is probably because this wine is no longer an insider tip , but is probably one of the best-known and most popular rosé wines in the world. A rosé list without Whispering Angel from the Provençal Château D’Escalns is therefore almost impossible. The aromas contrast in color with the wine: watermelon and pomegranate, a pale pink in the glass . Whispering Angel is a light yet confident wine that has its own and distinctive character.
Château d’Esclans & Chef Daniel Boulud Are Bringing The South of France To New York & Miami Again
By Stephanie DiGuiseppe
Experiencing the true rose lifestyle of the French Riviera is being made possible this summer without the use of your passports. Château d’Esclans, a magical winery situated in the heart of Provence, has teamed up with Chef Daniel Boulud for their second summer of “Boulud Sur Mer,” which promises to transport guests to the South of France while dining at Boulud’s restaurants.
From now until September 3rd, guests can expect to experience the luxury of the Riviera at various locations in the U.S., including New York City, Palm Beach, and Miami. “Like so many people, I would love to be able to spend my summer on the French Riviera,” says Chef Boulud. “Boulud Sur Mer is a wonderful opportunity for me to bring a little piece of that Rivera lifestyle to my restaurants in New York City, Floria, and around the world. It is a pleasure to once again partner with Château d’Esclans to bring the exceptional cuisine and wine of the South of France to our guests worldwide.”
At each location, guests can enjoy a meticulously composed meal paired with a refreshing glass of rosé in an atmosphere that pays homage to the region from which Chef Boulud hails and where the award-winning wines from the Château d’Esclans are produced. Chef Daniel has curated a special Provencal style menu to pair perfectly with the wines, which will be featured both by the glass and by the bottle on the specially curated menu. Each dish will be composed of traditional ingredients from the region, and guests will have the chance to experience the flavors, sights, and smells of the Cote d’Azur.
“We are honored to continue our partnership for another season with Chef Daniel Boulud and his culinary team for Boulud Sur Mer,” says Sacha Lichine, Founder and President of Château d’Esclans. “We’re thrilled to continue to bring the rosé lifestyle to these prestigious establishments so that all can experience the true essence of the South of France.”
The following locations will feature Boulud’s Provencal menu paired with exceptional rosés from the Château d’Esclans wine portfolio, creating a true culinary and rosé journey.
The Bar at DANIEL, located on 60 East 65th Street, New York, NY, is set to feature Château d’Esclans Whispering Angel, providing patrons with a taste of this exquisite rosé. Similarly, Le Pavillon on One Vanderbilt Avenue, and Le Gratin on 5 Beekman Street, both in New York, NY, will also delight guests with a selection that includes Château d’Esclans Whispering Angel and Les Clans. Additionally, Boulud Sud NYC on 20 West 64th Street, and Bar Boulud on 1900 Broadway, both situated in New York, NY, will showcase the Château d’Esclans Whispering Angel range, along with Rock Angel and Garrus, adding to the culinary experience. Furthermore, Épicerie Boulud, found on 1900 Broadway at 64th St and Westfield World Trade Center, New York, NY, will complete the offering with Château d’Esclans Whispering Angel and The Beach by Whispering Angel. Wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike can now relish in the exquisite flavors of Château d’Esclans Whispering Angel wines while enjoying the finest cuisines that the city has to offer.
Then, in Miami, Boulud Sud MIA will feature Château d’Esclans Whispering Angel and Château d’Esclans Estate Wine, and in Palm Beach, the renowned Café Boulud Palm Beach will have the Château d’Esclans Whispering Angel and Rock Angel.
Decanter luxe list: Summer A seasonal series collating luxury wine experiences taking place in the most coveted of cellars, vineyards and must-visit destinations across the globe.
Spring always seems slow to start but summer approaches quickly bringing sunshine, outdoor dining and holidays aplenty.
Luckily, the summer season seems to be extending longer each year, giving us more time to soak up late sunsets and beachside bonfires sipping new releases and lauded vintages in some of the most stunning settings.
From Krug-fuelled pop-up dinner parties around the US to a brand-new Möet Hennessy four-floor cocktail experience in Paris, we’ve pulled together a list of haute happenings in the wine world sure to make this summer one of the best yet.
SIP CHÂTEAU D’ESCLANS ROSÉ AT WINEMAKER DINNERS AND BEACHSIDE BONFIRES IN THE HAMPTONS
Executive chef Christopher Watts will craft five, farm-fresh, seasonally-driven courses designed to pair with the iconic rosés, and the evening will end in true South of France style with a beachside bonfire. Upcoming dinners will take place July 21 and Sept. 1; $275 per person (tickets here).
Rosé is an all year round wine, but everyone knows that rosés become more irresistible in summer. So, glasses at the ready for this year’s seasonal round-up of new wines and new vintages.
To repeat a few things I said last year: rosés aren’t only for the aperitif or poolside slots. They often make very good food wines, not least with the sort of dishes you might be having in warm weather – grilled and barbecued fish, seafood, charcuterie, salads, vegetable tarts, chicken dishes, pasta and picnic fare.
All wines need to be kept out of sunlight to avoid spoilage by light strike (does what it says on the tin) but rosés are often more vulnerable, above all when they’re in clear glass bottles. Ideally, we’d have dark, opaque wine glasses, but that’s a step too far.
Pink wines should be served chilled and then kept cold while you make further inroads into the bottle, box or pouch. Wine cooler sleeves kept in the freezer or ice box are invaluable for bottles. Chilling your glass by swirling a couple of ice cubes round it before you start is another good move when the sun is beating down. If your wine does end up too warm, you can always resort to an ice cube lobbed into the liquid itself.
This year I’m kicking off my recommendations with three wines in sustainable packaging. These are all the more relevant and praiseworthy in the context of rosé when so many, especially from Provence, come in absurdly heavy glass bottles.
I’ve given empty bottle weights at the end of each tasting note when I have them – and I can tell you there are some shockers. I’m sorry to say that three of my top-scoring wines are the worst offenders by a long way. If Chanel (yes, that Chanel) can put its Domaine de L’Ile rosé, my other top scoring wine, in a bottle weighing only 409g, others could too. When will they wake up to the harm they’re doing?
After the sustainably packaged trio, the order is in ascending order of price. Two Tavel rosés I really wanted to recommend, Domaine Maby La Forcadière (Yapp Brothers) and Arbousset rosé (Tesco), have fallen by the wayside because they have moved on to 2022 from the 2021 vintage I tasted. I’m sure the new vintages will be worth a try. There’s also a lack of English rosés (my fault).
A score of 93 is equivalent to a gold medal; 89–92 is silver; 85–88 is bronze.
Whispering Angel 2022, Côtes de Provence, France
This was very tight-lipped when I tasted it at the beginning of the year, but has now relaxed into flowing, floral, red fruit and vanilla-patisserie aromas and apricot and red apple on the palate. Lemon, elegantly bitter grapefruit rind and salinity provide and structure and freshness. Another impressive, appealing Whispering Angel. 13%. 596g.
91
Widely available at £15.95–£19.99. Half bottles and magnums available from Majestic and Waitrose
Château d’Esclans 2021, Côtes de Provence, France
Scented summer-garden nose with an inviting hint of juniper berry. Rich, pure fruit on the palate with discreet, toasted vanilla and oak, a silky texture and fine acidity. Elegantly shaped and well-balanced. Primarily Grenache and Rolle (Vermentino) vinified in a combination of 600-litre oak barrels and stainless steel. 13.5%. 978g – ouch!
Château d’Esclans Les Clans 2021, Côtes de Provence, France
Mainly free-run juice from 50-plus year old Grenache, Rolle (Vermentino) and Syrah, fermented and aged for 10 months, with bâtonnage, in 600-litre oak barrels (one and two year old). The oak is still quite pronounced on both nose and palate, but not so that it overwhelms the floral, apricot and raspberry fruit, the creamy, close-textured richness, citrus sweetness and core of acidity. It will be better in a year, but is already a serious fine wine when given time to breathe in the glass. A good match for lobster and rich seafood dishes, vitello tonnato and pork ragù with capers. 14%. 975g –ouch again!
Château d’Esclans Garrus 2021, Côtes de Provence, France
I tasted this at 8ºC and 12ºC and then drank it at 12º+C. By all means serve it cooler if you like, but the higher temperature allows this young, tightly wound, oak-fermented and matured rosé to uncoil and express itself. And you’ll want to let it do that because it’s an exceptional wine: reminiscent of white Burgundy in its hazelnut and mineral aromas, buttery taste and silky texture, but with added orange pomander, exotic spice and incense. It’s intense, complex, powerful and balanced with an impeccable interplay of fruit, acidity and oak. Designed to go with food – lobster, salmon, pork, veal, lamb chops, savoury dishes in cream sauce and so on. Drink from now to 2033, if stored in cellar conditions. 14.5%. 979g – and ouch yet again!
A friend of ours brought this attractive bottle with a very jolly roaring twenties label and we were excited to sample the contents. The name Sacha Lichine may be familiar to you if you are a wine enthusiast. I feel he knows how to make a memorable rosé that is worthy of respect.
This rosé was fascinating to sample. My sensory experience was misled at first because when I first breathed in the scent I thought this was going to be fresher and sharper than I had hoped. But as soon as the flavours landed on my tongue the fruit was delivered, and for me a very enjoyable mix of flavours. I am so grateful when I detect some citrus in a wine, and the pink grapefruit reassured me that this was my kind of wine. But there was plenty to delight a sweet tooth – notably peach. But Robert suggested there was a cherry blossom aroma in his glass and he was picking up a teasing but delicate combination of both fruity and floral notes.
We both noted how creamy a finish this rosé has, making it such a pleasure to drink. It is not syrupy, it is not caustic. There is so much grace in this pretty rosé and I will without doubt be recommending it to friends. I feel as if this rosé has somehow managed to elegantly blend freshness, fruitiness, floral fragrance and creaminess – which surely is no easy task. Both of us were exceedingly delighted with The Pale Rosé.
Whispering Angel, the Côtes-de-Provence French rosé wine, invites you to toast the arrival of summer at Tigerlily, Edinburgh with a takeover that delivers serious World of Whisper wows.
Whispering Angel, the Côtes-de-Provence French rosé wine responsible for igniting the Rosé Renaissance worldwide, invites you to toast the arrival of summer at Tigerlily, Edinburgh with a takeover that delivers serious World of Whisper wows.
Synonymous with the most captivating alfresco destinations across the globe, the wildly popular rosé wine has launched its Whispering Angel summer takeover, located in the heart of the capital’s stylish George Street, and in place until the end of August.
Created by Chateau d’Esclans, a magical property and one of the grandest Chateaus in all of Provence, Whispering Angel is inviting rosé lovers to experience the Tigerlily takeover. These experiences include a hot-ticket five-course Chateau d’Esclans Pairing Dinner on Thursday the 3rd of August hosted by Kelly Stevenson – Chateau d’Esclans Brand Ambassador, priced at £75.
For the first time in Scotland, Whispering Angel fans have the opportunity to enjoy a delicious Chateau d’Esclans wine flight at Tigerlily for £25 featuring three 125ml rosés from the renowned vineyard:
• The Pale by Whispering Angel (expressive with great aromatic freshness and a fruit forward palate). • Whispering Angel (fresh red berry fruit characteristics with a floral nose, a dry and smooth wine). • Rock Angel (a more complex and structured taste profile than Whispering Angel, giving rosé lovers a bigger and richer wine. Floral and spicy notes with a creamy, rich finish).
Oozing a glamorous, playful spirit reminiscent of Saint-Tropez, the Whispering Angel takeover sees Tigerlily’s outdoor terrace on George Street transformed into a picture-perfect summer scene. Set within a white picket fence and accessed through arches dressed with wild, natural roses, the terrace is dressed with trailing ivy, fresh hydrangeas and oh-so-Provence lavender. Day into night, the Whispering Angel terrace at Tigerlily will be Edinburgh’s hottest destination this summer…and an incomparable spot for people watching in the sunshine.
Elsewhere, a burst of beautiful pink floral and lush greenery greets guests as they ascend the steps into Tigerlily, with the entrance transformed into the world of Whispering Angel. Taking centre stage inside the entrance is a Whispering Angel swing seat, with luxe velvet cushions and silky tassels; a playful spot for a spontaneous selfie opportunity.
Bringing the outdoors in further, the Whispering Angel takeover sees Tigerlily’s green room dramatically reimagined into a summer rose garden, with rose bushes flowing wilding across oversized curved mirrors, greenery and stems dramatically suspended and draped, and shimmering lights offsetting the installation to stunning effect.
To celebrate the launch of the takeover, Tigerlily is offering two further decadent experiences in addition to the Chateau d’Esclans wine flight and the Whispering Angel dinner. They are:
Whispering Angel Afternoon Tea with a 175ml glass of Whispering Angel, at £30.95 per person and Whispering Angel Brunch with a half bottle of Whispering Angel at £49.95 per person.
The world of whisper awaits at Tigerlily. Join us.
To help celebrate the summer season at none other than the Giorgio Armani Hurlingham Tennis Classic, we are delighted to offer you the chance to win a Jeroboam (3L) of Whispering Angel Rosé.
All you have to do is submit the form below to be added into the prize draw.
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The 9 Best Wines to Drink on Your Yacht This Summer
The bottles you want when you’re having fun on the water.
By Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen
Whether you are out for the day on a friend’s boat or are enjoying summer in Nice or Cannes in your own floating home, it’s important to liven up the overwater party with a few special bottles of wine. If you’re hitting hotspots on land in the evenings your options are often limited, so it’s fun to combine a mix of easy-to-find bottles with under the radar selections when you’re back on board.
Bubbles add to the festive atmosphere of being on a boat, but that doesn’t mean you have to stick to the same Champagne brands you’ll find in every port. Think outside the box and seek out sparklers from other regions such as California or northern Italy. You are always going to have one lover of oaky Chardonnay on hand; however, offering a lighter, aromatic white as well will keep everyone happy. No yachting excursion, be it for a few hours or the whole season, is complete without at least one rosé (or two) from the Côtes de Provence in the south of France. And while hot days on the water call for well-chilled whites, rosés, and bubbles, when the sun dips below the horizon and your sun-kissed skin begins to cool down, a couple of red wine choices will be appreciated by all, either poured on their own after time ashore or alongside an elegant alfresco dinner on the open deck.
Here are three bottles of bubbles, two whites, two rosés, and two reds to look out for the next time you are stocking up for some time on a yacht.
This ever-so-pale-pink rosé is a blend of Grenache, Vermentino, and Syrah and is made mostly from free run juice with no maceration. It is aged in 600-liter barrels for about ten months and undergoes battonage, or stirring of the lees, twice a week. It was first made by Sacha Lichine in 2006 and this 2019 is drinking perfectly right now, especially from a three-liter double magnum bottle, which is the perfect size to share with friends on your yacht. It has aromas of strawberry, orange peel, and grapefruit pith. It is full bodied with elegant mouthfeel and flavors of red fruits, citrus blossom, and a touch of white pepper in the finish. Available in 750 ml, 1.5 liter, or 3-liter format.
At Breezy Four Seasons Affair, CityBook Goes Poolside with ‘Coolest’ People in Houston
City Book Editors
Ryan Barbles, Casey Barbles, Kate McCarthy, Sasha Grumman (photo by Sarah De La Rosa)
A FABULOUSLY DIVERSE and accomplished crowd of influencers, VIPs, culture vultures and society swells gathered on the pool deck of Four Seasons Hotel Houston to celebrate Houston CityBook’s first ever “Cool 100” list.
Sponsors and cohosts included The Post Collection, which brought a two-toned orange and black Bentley to show off at valet as guests arrived, and Insólito Tequila, which provided spirits for the breezy summer evening’s featured Paloma cocktails. Château d’Esclans poured delicious rosés, including its Whispering Angel and The Beach.
