INSIDER'S PICK: 2020 CIBONNE SELECTIONS 'TENTATIONS' ROSE COTES DE PROVENCE $19.99

Even though we will not be doing the public tasting portion of the Insider's Pick until further notice, we will still be offering the wine for purchase with the usual 10% discount. The wines will still be ones we highly recommend, and the tasting notes will still be our own. We will be returning to doing just the one wine on Thursdays and Fridays until further notice. We hope you are able to come by and get some wines to enjoy.

With various issues creating shipping dilemmas around the world the last half year or so, coupled with weather problems and the situations around American tariffs, wine availability and the arrival of new vintages from overseas has been a bit, well, constipated. Everything is delayed it seems, and it all has been taking longer to get through to the consumer once it's started. Roses are very strongly associated with Spring, so their delayed arrival has been a bit more obvious, but we finally seem to be seeing more and more options returning. Clos Cibonne is one of the most distinctive producers in Provence, a region awash in 'same-but-different' wines when it comes to Rose. The family grows the ancient Tibouren grape variety in their coastline vineyards for each wine to some extent, and have been doing things to make their wines stand out for years that are now being embraced by more avant-garde producers the world over (aging wines under 'flor' yeast as done in making Sherry, reusable wood foudres, etc). They also make some of the most age-worthy Roses in all of France which we always like to remind people of (the 2019s are still delicious!), with their top cuvees always released a year behind everyone else but capable of lasting a decade plus. This is their more entry level production, yet is still shows how distinct they are from the rest of the region. Minerally strawberry and tart red fruits on the nose, with a touch of savory herbs underneath that captures the windswept coastal terrain and the wild herbs so well. Bright and juicy on the palate as well, still showing those fruits and herbs but with an almost citrusy lemon tang to the finish. This is a wine that covers a lot of ground for a rose, making it perfect for a lot of lighter foods, starter courses and fish dishes.

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