Château de Selle Coeur de Grain Rosé 2024

Chateau de Selle Coeur de Grain Rosé comes from Domaines Ott, one of the founding names of fine Provence rosé, now part of the Roederer group but still run by the Ott family. It is made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah grown on the Chateau de Selle estate, where the vines average around twenty years of age. Provence's warm, dry climate is moderated by the Mistral and by proximity to the Mediterranean, conditions that keep the fruit healthy and preserve the acidity a serious rosé needs. The poor limestone soils restrict vigour and concentrate flavour. Coeur de Grain, meaning the heart of the grape, refers to Ott's practice of using only the gentlest free-run and first-press juice. The wine sees time in wood, where slow oxygen exchange and lees contact build texture and a savoury, faintly nutty depth that sets it apart from a simple tank rosé. The colour is a pale salmon pink. The nose shows strawberry, white peach and citrus peel over white flowers and dried herbs. The palate is dry, textured and saline, with almond and a long, mineral finish. Serve at 9 to 11C in a white wine glass. It suits grilled fish, shellfish and poultry.