With another heatwave on the horizon, rosé weather returns – and so, for the inaugural edition of our Tasting Notes series, we sit down with the brains behind Château Minuty. Regarded as one of the leading Côtes de Provence producers of top-of-the-range rosé (not forgetting the white and red wines), Château Minuty is a family-owned wine estate that overlooks the St Tropez peninsula. 

Now at the helm is François Matton and his brother Jean-Etienne Matton: the third-generation custodians of the Château Minuty Estate. It has come a long way under the Matton tenure but since 1990 – what the brothers call ‘the modern era of Minuty’ – it’s become one of the largest producers of rosé wines in Provence, has earned a presence in more than 100 countries and was acquired by LVMH last year. They say good things come in threes. 

For those looking to quench their thirst in hotter climes, Minuty’s Rose et Or is something of a go-to. It’s so popular, in fact, that it’s been named the number one rosé in France, and 9 million bottles are produced each year. Made from 100 per cent estate-grown grapes harvested entirely by hand (Château Minuty is one of the few that picks its grapes by hand), expect quality and integrity. It goes down very well indeed, with aromas of by orange peel and jasmine followed by pink grapefruit and white stone fruit on the palate, complete with a zesty and crisp finish, thanks to its minerality and the salinity of the terroir. Here François Matton talks us through the wine’s tasting notes – and recommends where to try it in London.

François Matton. Image: Roberto Frankenberg

TASTING NOTE 1: RIPE MELON and PEACH

Grenache and Syrah grapes are carefully hand-picked from the Château Minuty Estate, exposed on the hillsides of the villages of Gassin and Ramatuelle, overlooking the Gulf of St Tropez. The plots situated on the estate bring out the sun-drenched ripeness of the liquid which creates a unique structure on the palette.

TASTING NOTE 2: GARRIGUE

Garrigue – a mixture of wild herbs including lavender, juniper, thyme, rosemary and sage – are all common Mediterranean herbs typically found in the scrublands of southern France, which is rich with aromatic oils that influence the flavour of the grapes, offering an aromatic complexity on the nose and adding an earthy touch to the wine.

TASTING NOTE 3: PURE MINERALITY

Château Minuty grapes are grown in schist soil: a soil made of layers of different minerals, namely sand and clay. The sand helps retain heat, creating a powerful wine rich with minerality, whereas the clay helps the soil stay at a consistent temperature to ensure the grapes don’t ripen too quickly. The minerality of the liquid is further reinforced because we don’t use malolactic fermentation to preserve the primary fruit aromas of the wine (rather than secondary aromas of butter and cream) which in turn produces a genuine Provençale style rosé.

Image: Herve Fabre

TASTING NOTE 4: ACIDITY

Temperature regulation is incredibly important to the acidity of the liquid. Early morning harvests (given the Mediterranean climate) are preferred, as the temperatures are kept low when they arrive at the winery. This is done to minimise the extraction of colour and tannin. The process of cold pressing and low-temperature fermentation further controls the temperature which minimises the extraction and keeps the liquid pale. This is all important in order to preserve the freshness, so distinctive of Château Minuty Rose et Or.

TASTING NOTE 5: SALINITY

The distinctive taste of Rose et Or is created through the influence of the sea breeze from the Mediterranean Sea. Such influence creates a crisp taste and delicate body, allowing it to pair perfectly with a wide variety of dishes. Château Minuty is famous for salinity and acidity, in part due to the proximity to the ocean (this is a common trait for coastal wines), as well as good, balanced sun exposure on the fruit. In comparative tastings, the salinity is what makes the wine stand out from the rest.

Where to sip

Rosewood London, Sushi Samba, The Aviary, and Cecconi’s.

Château Minuty Rose et Or 2023

£28

Buy Now

Visit minuty.com

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