Provence Pioneers
While Emma was in Alsace, Ali was also in France with a group of journalists - this time in the deep south, Provence, visiting two leading - and very different - producers of rosé.
First up, Château d’Esclans founded by Sacha Lichine in 2006 and the winery behind the worldwide phenomenon that is Whispering Angel. Our Press group - Davids Williams and Kermode, Joanna Simon, Victor Smart and Hannah Milne - went up into the vineyards looking out over the Vallée d’Esclans before a thoroughly in-depth tasting of the Esclans range, all the way from The Beach to Les Clans and Garrus oak-aged wines.
The next morning saw the group zoom across the Provence landscape to Château Galoupet - Moët Hennessy’s beacon of sustainability just a few kilometres from the sea. Here, MD Nadine Fau and winemaker Mathieu Meyer took us on a tour of their vineyards, explaining their work with biodiversity and conversion to organics. Once back at the winery, there was a real treat in store - a tasting of the actual grapes from this year’s harvest, along with the just fermented juice. This was the only week of the year that you can do this – fantastique!
AM
