Hecht & Bannier : Cotes de Provence 2017

A Fragrant Rosé from Cotes de Provence

Partners Gregory Hecht and François Bannier first met as students in Burgundy and quickly discovered their shared passion for the wines of the Cote d'Or. Eventually, they decided to go into business together and they produce the first vintage of Maison Hecht & Bannier in 2001. By the end of 2003, they bottled four wines from four different appellations in Southern France: Minervois, Saint Chinian, Faugeres and Cotes du Roussillon. Maison Hecht Bannier blends fruit from several different carefully selected growers within an appellation, putting tremendous effort into each blend and aging them for long periods of time. The Cotes de Provence rosé 2017 is produced from parcels in Saint Antonin, Entrecasteaux, Carces, Pourrieres and La Londe-les-Maures, within the Cotes de Provence appellation. The wine is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Rolle grown in the cooler parts of the upper Provence vineyards, also planted with oak and olive trees. Grapes grown in clay-limestone soils at higher altitudes are blended with grapes from the limestone foothills of Montagne Sainte Victoire, whose wines are characterized by a vibrant minerality. The Cinsault, grown just metes from the Mediterranean Sea in La Londe des Maures, lends a unique saline quality and touches of anise to the finished wine.

The harvest takes place at night in order to avoid oxidation and preserve the fresh fruit flavors of the grapes. The Grenache and Syrah are then macerated together, with the slightly reductive character of Syrah balancing beautifully with the slight oxidative Grenache. The wine is matured in concrete and stainless steal tanks.

The Cotes de Provence rosé 2017 from Maison Hect & Bannier presents a very pretty onion-skin pink color in the glass. On the nose, this Provence rosé displays a very strong and aromatic Mediterranean personality. It is quite complex, with plenty of floral fragrance blending with a refreshing mineral aromas, along with fennel, shrubland and anise. The perfect rosé to sip in the summertime on a terrace or in a garden, paired with a nice bowl of olives.