Le Chat Noir Rosé

Sourcing: Fruit from the Gers region, in the centre of southern France provides a core of vibrant and expressive fruit with impressive depth whilst the high altitude, cool climate Aude Valley fruit provides lifted aromatics, savoury complexity and bright, fresh acidity.

Winemaking: Completely whole bunch fermented with a short maceration (a few hours) sufficient to impart colour and texture. Following a soft pressing, the juice is given a cool fermentation in stainless steel and allowed to ferment to almost complete dryness. Maturation on lees in stainless steel adds texture and malo-lactic fermentation is prevented to ensure vibrancy.

Vintage: A very warm and dry vintage with noticeably low yields exacerbated by frosts in early Spring. The conditions continued with just enough relief via light showers before a very early and compounded harvest that had vignerons scrambling, Whilst a famous vintage for red wines, 2016 and 2017 was also well above average vintage for Rose with rich flavours and impressive concentration and length.

Tasting Note: Pale pink in colour, sitting well within the classic Provence “pale and dry” spectrum. The nose is lifted and expressive with perfumed aromas of rose petals, strawberries and bath talc. The palate is well balanced and nicely judged with a burst of light red berries, candied fruit drops and a hint of spice with an attractive crunchy texture before a soft, dry finish.