Domaines Ott 2019 Rose, Clos Mireille, Grand Cru, Cotes de Provence

In 1896, after a tour of France’s many vineyards, Marcel Ott, a young graduate in agronomy engineering from Alsace, finally found an estate that inspired him. To set the scene, we are in Provence. The Mediterranean is lapping at the shore a mere stone’s throw away. In these parts, growing vines is the legacy of ancient times. Alas, a short while before Marcel Ott’s discovery, phylloxera had wreaked havoc on the vines. The land was cheaper, but the vineyards would have to be replanted. The wine had lost a great deal of its soul in the vineyard’s reconstruction. Marcel Ott bought several estates and began renovating them with the determined ambition to create great Provencal wines from noble grape varieties. Today, 120 years later, cousins Christian and Jean-François Ott dedicate their life to their ancestor’s love for the site. In 2004, Domaines Ott joined Louis Roederer and its fabulous selection of wine craftsmen.

This wine is from their Clos Mirrielle estate, designated Grand Cru in 1955. At Clos Mireille, the average age of the vines is sixteen years old. The soil is composed of schists. Planted on foothills on the shores of the Mediterranean, the vineyard’s location is unusual. The character of the wines is made even more exceptional in that the clay soil on this ancient rocky outcrop contains no limestone. Its broad sea-facing orientation gives Clos Mireille wines their inimitable character. The microclimate and sea spray create perfect conditions for producing subtle and distinctive wines.  The Clos Mireille Rosé is an expression of a blend of various grapes typical of the Côtes de Provence appellation: Grenache, the majority grape, chosen for its full-bodied texture, Cinsault for its well-known softness and Syrah for its fruity roundness.

Wine Enthusiast Magazine scored this 90 points saying "This estate situated close to the sea always brings some salinity to the fruity flavors. There is a pure, clean character here along with elegance and crispness. Drink this wine now."

Vinous scored this 93 saying "Translucent orange-pink. Highly perfumed strawberry, nectarine, grapefruit zest and succulent floral qualities on the nose. Vibrant and precise on the palate, offering sappy citrus pith, red berry, pit fruit and honeysuckle flavors that pick up a mineral nuance with air. The floral and mineral notes repeat emphatically on a wonderfully persistent finish that shows fine definition and powerful, nervy cut."