Amongst all the Provençal rosé made by celebrities, Château Miraval is probably the most popular. The fame of its owner couple, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, no doubt is a factor, but the wine must have quality in order to generate repeat purchase.
This estate only makes rosé. The year 2012 was the first vintage of Miraval Rosé, and the wine was sold out within six hours of going on general sale. It also earned a spot on the Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2013. Muse de Miraval, a rosé for long-term ageing made from the best grapes and available only in magnum size, as well as Studio by Miraval, were released a few years after the debut of Miraval Rosé.
Miraval is the only champagne house that only makes rosé. Celebrities have a soft spot for pink-hued wine, and the team are focusing all their efforts on this one colour.
While Brad and Angelina are the faces of Miraval, Marc Perrin, the fifth generation of Château de Beaucastel and partner, ensures the wine has consistent quality for all the silent wine critics out there.
Located at 350 metres altitude in the Côtes de Provence wine region, the vineyards enjoy cool nights during the growing season, which helps to retain the acidity of the grapes. Miraval Rosé is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Rolle (a white grape variety) grown in clay and limestone soil, with 5% of the grapes barrel-fermented to increase the wine’s complexity and mouthfeel. The recently released 2020 vintage has wonderful redcurrant and fresh rose aromas supported by lemony acidity and a touch of saline. This wine was unveiled early this year, featuring Brad Pitt in the “Spirit of Riviera” advertising campaign shot by fashion photographer Lachlan Bailey.
Backed by the success of Miraval Rosé, Château Miraval collaborated with champagne house Pierre Péters to launch Fleur de Miraval NV rosé champagne last year. A blend of 75% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Noir, the colour of the wine is produced using the saignée method instead of the more common method of adding red wine to white wine. It is then aged for three years on lees. This wine has tangy pink grapefruit and raspberry aromas and a delicate minerality. Decanter awarded it 94 points.
Rosé wine is often underrated because consumers think it’s always sweet, but this is not the case. Serious rosé is dry and refreshing. It is not as acidic as white wine and not as heavy as red wine. In my view, rosé goes very well with Cantonese food, especially during a humid HK summer.
Miraval is available in Hong Kong from Altaya Wines.
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