Pale copper color; grapefruit, blood orange, raspberry on the nose; raspberry, white cherry, strawberry, pink grapefruit, Meyer lemon, peach, watermelon, touch of saline on the palate.
Dry; crisp with excellent fruit flavors. Fresh, easy-going style with bewitching flashes of complexity. Blend of grenache, syrah, tibouren, cinsault. Medium body with firm texture. Drinks more like a rich white wine than a delicate Provence rosé. Minuty also makes that lighter, delicate style using their négociant resources. Here they strut their versatility with a globule of power. 12.5% ABV
Established in 1936, Chateau Minuty is the top-selling rosé house in Europe and one of only 18 Cru Classé in the Cotes de Provence that specializes in rosé (90% of production). Their wines typically are made in the classic Provence style primarily using grenache grapes, as is this effort, although it also delivers a note of syrah pepper and cinsault redcurrant.
Château Minuty is located on the St. Tropez Peninsula. Provence may be the oldest wine-making region in France, with wine history dating back 2,600 years. The region is 150 miles long and 100 miles north-to-south. Its borders include the Rhône River to the west and the Côte d’Azur to the east. Marseille and Toulon are its notable cities. The French Riviera is part of Provence. The Côtes de Provence is the largest AOC in the region and produces about 75% of Provence wine.
Château Minuty traces its roots to Gabriel Farnet in the 1930s, and the Matton-Farnet family traces its roots back 300-plus years. Gabriel Farnet began at the Domaine de Chateauneuf in Vidauban and moved to Château Minuty in 1936. Gabriel is the grandfather of François and Jean-Etienne, the current owners of Château Minuty. In 1955, Château Minuty was among 23 estates to earn classified growth status as Côtes de Provence wine.
Gabriel’s daughter, Etienne Matton Monique Farnet, and her husband, Etienne Matton, took over management in the 1960s and improved the vineyards by replanting and emphasizing low yields. Today, their children, Jean-Etienne and François Matton, manage the château. The fourth generation, Anne-Victoire Matton joined the management team. They have installed modern equipment and pointed Château Minuty in a more international direction, with robust worldwide distribution.
Château Minuty Prestige Rosé, Côtes de Provence 2021 is charmingly fruit-forward with more heft than many Provence rosés. Delicious fruits are the star of the show until the finishing flourish of salinity which delivers a signature final swallow for this impressive négociant effort. But that, of course, is what you can consistently expect from Château Minuty. Works delightfully as an aperitif or sipped by itself any season—not just summer. Pair with shellfish and light fish; garden salads, including those with chunks of white chicken breast or shrimp; poultry, including cold white chicken breasts; vegetarian fare in general; pork. Cheese—goat cheese, especially fresh and young cheeses; feta, mozzarella, baby swiss, mild cheddar. $25-35
