The winery says the grapes for 2019 Minuty Prestige Côtes de Provence - Grenache, Cinsault, Tibouren and Syrah - were grown in "a rigorous selection of the best Côtes de Provence vineyards." Three of those grape varieties are familiar friends, but Tibouren - also known as Rossese di Dolceacqua in Italy's Liguria region - may not be on everyone's radar. Tibouren has a highly aromatic quality which centers on earthiness. It is believed to have come from Greece or the Middle East, introduced to France through Marseille or Saint-Tropez. Alcohol is a restrained 12.5% abv and I see it selling at a lot of places for $18.
This barely-peach-pink wine is loaded with nose - cherries and berries for days with a hint of earth from the south of France. The palate is also fruity, and juicy to boot. Easy acidity will pair well with the usual salad and seafood suspects, but it's not exactly a mouthful of pins and needles. Quite a nice Provençal pinkie, just what we expect. It will play very nicely under the spring and summer sun wherever you are.
Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter