MIRAVAL | Côtes de Provence | Rosé | 2021
cinsault | grenache | vermentino | syrah

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Jointly owned by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, the Miraval estate is situated in the village of Correns, just north of Brignoles in the heart of the famous Provence region and covers a total of 400 hectares of which 30 are dedicated to vines. Prior to its purchase by its current celebrity owners, Château Miraval was owned by american winemaker Tom Bove, who transformed the property into one of France’s top organic estates.

Today we are going to review a genuine rosé wine from the famous Provence region of southern France – Côtes de Provence Rosé 2021 by Miraval. Miraval is one of the most popular rosé wines in the world – a traditional, multi-varietal blend made of four red grape varieties (cinsault, grenache and syrah) and one white grape variety (rolle, which is the french name of the famous vermentino grape variety from Sardinia), with each variety vinified separately before blending them into the famous Miraval cuvée. Rosé itself is a bizarre wine category, as it isn’t exactly a red wine, nor is it a white wine – it is something in between. The secret to the pinkish hue of the rosé wine is found in the skins of the red grapes and more exactly in the anthocyanin pigments. When making a red wine, the skins spend the entire fermentation in contact with the juice, for rosé however the process is shortened, for example pinot noir usually spends around 4 to 6 hours on the skins, to produce its trademark pale salmon hue, while cabernet sauvignon needs only a few minutes to make that rich, deep-pink color. This rosé wine is made out of grapes that were harvested in the morning, by applying the two rosé methods: direct pressing for cinsault, grenache and rolle, and saignée for the syrah grape variety. After the wine is blended, 95% of it is vinified in a protective style, fermented in stainless steel tanks at low temperatures, while the remaining 5% is aged in oak barrels. But enough with all that theory, that said and without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
color: pale peach color
clarity: pastel peach hues

//Olfactory
intensity: rich & elegant
fruit character: ripe

On the first nose, the wine displays a pronounced ripe fruit character, showcasing a delightful medley of berry fruits. The forefront unfolds with the luscious essence of ripe cranberries, goji berry, wolfberry and hints of pink mulberry, creating a vibrant and inviting bouquet. In the background, subtle nuances of stone fruits emerge, adding depth and complexity to the overall aromatic profile. Whispers of white cherry, pink mirabelle and donut peach provide an intriguing backdrop. This rosé really captivates your attention with its harmonious fusion of ripe berries and subtle stone fruit hints.

//Palate
sweetness: bone dry | acidity: medium+ | alcohol: high | tannin: medium- | balance: good
finish: medium+ | aftertaste: bitter-crisp

On the palate, this rosé wine delivers a harmonious blend of flavors that showcases its complex personality. Its crisp acidity imparts a refreshing liveliness, invigorating the palate with each sip, while a firm touch of alcoholic warmth and a touch of phenolic bitterness adds more structure to the body. The wine displays a distinctly ripe fruit character, featuring a delightful fusion of berry fruits and stone fruits. It all fusions into a bitter-crisp aftertaste, that lingers, inviting for yet another sip. This rosé is a testament to the winemaker’s skill, offering a refreshing, fruit-forward profile for those seeking for a vibrant wine tasting experience.

//Verdict
maturity: in its prime | on the verge of decline | drink now
verdict: fine | highly recommended | a wine of premium quality with good potential

Overall, this rosé wine delivers a quite powerful and complex profile, with a bitter-crisp aftertaste, firm structure, and a ripe, rich character. The interplay of the wine’s phenolic bitterness and nuanced alcoholic warmth contributes to its heady and hot nature, revealing a wine that is both muscular and intense. However, this robust demeanor comes at the expense of elegance and finesse, as it lacks the delicate subtlety often associated with rosé wines. Despite its undeniable strength and complexity, the wine might be better appreciated by those who favor a bolder and more robust expression.

//Scoring
MIRAVAL | Côtes de Provence | Rosé | 2021
variety: cinsault | grenache | vermentino | syrah
country: France
region: Provence
rating: 92.6
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This is definitely a fine wine of France and, with a total of 92.6 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.

Pairing: Based on the wine’s vibrant and explosive fruit character, its crisp acidity and firm structure, we would recommend pairing it with seafood dishes, like for example a creamy, spicy lobster pasta. The wine’s ripe berry fruits and subtle stone fruit hints will complement the succulent sweetness of the lobster meat, while the crisp acidity in the wine will cut through the richness of the pasta, providing a refreshing contrast. In the same key, the firm tannins and bitter-crisp aftertaste in the wine will add depth to the pairing, enhancing the overall dining experience. This pairing allows the wine to shine alongside the delicate and flavorful essence of lobster pasta, offering a memorable culinary experience that celebrates both the wine’s strength and the seafood’s indulgent appeal. Enjoy!

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© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation.