A beautiful dry rose which transports you to the South of France

I've generally find roses that I've bought in the UK to be disappointing: Too sweet or heavy for my tastes, nothing like the light bone dry rose that I remember drinking in Cassis. I was in my local wine shop and saw a half bottle of 2018 Whispering Angel on the counter and bought it on impulse and was very pleased that I did. I didn't love the name, but I really enjoyed the wine!

I mention the year as I later bought a 2019 version: I found this year insipid, for me it was definitely the poor relation and I wouldn't recommend it, but perhaps it was just the bottle I had. When interviewed in 2018 the producer felt that 2018 was his best vintage yet for this Rose.

Whispering Angel is produced by Chateau d’Esclans in Provence in the classical Provence Rose style: Bone dry, delicate pale pink colour and light bodied. The main grapes are Grenache, Rolle, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvedre.

According to many sources it is the worlds best selling Rose, in 2016 Chateau d’Esclans produced 3.2 million bottles.

Personally I loved both the aroma and taste: For me the aroma was of honeydew melon and a light scent of strawberry's which aren't fully ripe. When you taste it and it hits your mouth

the sensation is like crisp apple, it doesn't actually taste of apple, but there is that crispness and tartness then you get the flavour of tart young strawberries. It's quite high in acid, you know this as it makes you mouth water which is a classic sign of a high acid wine. It's very refreshing and light. I loved it.

A half bottle costs approx £9.99, it's a wine that could (and was!) very happily enjoyed without food.