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Dear <<First Name>>,
It may still be winter, but spring is just around the corner and with that comes new opportunities to gather around a delicious bottle of Provence Rosé!
I am pleased to connect with our U.S. Patrons List from here at Château de Berne for the release of our new vintage of estate rosé wines - Inspiration & Romance from the beautiful 2022 vintage.
These wines capture both the spirit - the joie de vivre - of the Provençal lifestyle and the years of work that our team has put into revitalizing the natural splendor surrounding our château. We are particularly excited to share this new vintage of our estate rosé, Inspiration, as the 2022 vintage is the first vintage that exclusively utilizes grapes that have been certified organic.
I am often asked about the ageability of our wines, and whether rosé wines in general benefit from aging. So in addition to our two new vintage releases, I am including the Château de Berne ‘La Grand Cuvée’ 2021.This bold rosé shows the excellent balance of structure and fruit that can lead to years of fantastic aging potential.
As you prepare for your upcoming spring and summer plans, I hope that you will include our rosés from Château de Berne and bring a little slice of the Provençal life to your own wine enjoyment this year.
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The 2022 Growing Season
2022 was a vintage of extremes that resulted in a collection of wines that were beautifully aromatic, fresh and round in texture. Wide variations in temperature and weather through the growing season led to continuous stress in the vines. This stress led to great concentration in the fruit, particularly as 2022 saw very little rain during the vegetative or veraison periods. This all changed in the weeks leading up to harvest, as we saw several storms which brought life and energy to the soils and the vines responded by adding vibrant pops of acidity and brightness to the fruit before picking. I am very excited about the quality of 2022 as the wines have an elegant softness that makes them very enjoyable to drink on their own or paired with food.
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'Inspiration' Rosé Côtes de Provence AOP 2022
Inspiration is the flagship representation of the historic estate on which our château sits. The secret of Berne Inspiration in the skillful blending of the grape varieties of Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah, grown on our estate's distinctive limestone soils. This vintage is the first where only certified organic grapes are utilized to produce Inspiration.
Our winemaking team highlights specific plots, harvested at night, that balance minerality, fruit concentration and acidity to combine into a beautiful, intense expression of Provence. The wine is produced and aged in stainless steel with frequent lees stirring to increase the aromatics and roundness in the wine - intensifying the aromas and flavors.
- The 2022 vintage has yet to be released or reviewed
- 92 points, Top 100 Wines of 2021, Wine Enthusiast (2021 vintage) - “This classically mouthwatering rosé is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah. With its red berry flavors balanced by the wine's lively acidity, this is fruity, juicy and ready to drink.” - Roger Voss
- $N/A per 750ml bottle
- $N/A per 1500ml magnum
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'Romance' Rosé Méditerranée IGP 2022
Romance is aptly named as it is the embodiment of the passion and romance that one feels when they experience Provence. It is a blend of highly expressive grape varieties (Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Merlot) that are grown on limestone soils in the Mediterranean basin.
Curated with just as much care as our Côtes de Provence bottlings, Romance is born from plot selections of the ripest, fruit-forward expressions of each grape variety that are harvested at night. The wine is fermented entirely in stainless steel to maximize the freshness and vibrant acidity of the final blend. Our winemaker implements stirring of fine lees for extra texture and taste - which allows us to preserve the wine’s bright color and delicate fruity aromas.
- The 2022 vintage has yet to be released or reviewed
- 92 points, Wine Panel (2021 vintage) - “A subtle dry French rose' from Provence that is incredibly easy to get along with. While it's not rich, fruity, or tart, it accomplishes the difficult feat of being more neutral, perfect for just enjoying a class and most likely a second as well. Expect subtle notes of white strawberry, orange peel, and ripe pear. Clean, classy, and delicious.”
- $N/A per 3-pack of 750ml bottles
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‘La Grand Cuvée’ Rosé Côtes de Provence AOP 2021
This is the wine that showcases the fantastic aging potential that can be achieved by rosé from our property.
‘La Grand Cuvée’ Estate Rosé is selected from the very best vines of the property and from grapes that exhibit not only aromatic freshness but also the structure for potential longer aging. The blend is Grenache, Carignan, Syrah, and Cinsault. The grapes are cold soak macerated for 4-6 hours, extracting just enough color and tannins for a classic Provencal style. The wine is fermented in oak for one month, then aged three months in older French oak barrels. Oak aging balances the acidity and adds roundness and texture to the structure, increasing the potential for complexity over time. Further, with an additional year in bottle, those flavors have only intensified to make this a true red wine drinkers' rosé.
2021 was what we call a “Winegrower’s vintage”. The year was one of extreme conditions and a multitude of challenges, but yielded exciting quality that was earned with diligent work in the vineyard and the cellar. We are one of the earliest estates to harvest in our region, as we always are looking to capture as much freshness as possible. In 2021, the resulting harvest and production had not only that high acidity, but also beautiful fruit expression to make this a balanced, bold vintage.
- 92 points, Wine Enthusiast - "Partially wood aged, this wine produced from old vines, is serious rosé. Its freshness is balanced by a smooth texture from the barrel aging and with fine richness. The wine's red fruits are sophisticated and the wine will be even better with some aging. Wait until 2023." - Roger Voss
- $N/A per 750ml bottle
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Deadline for orders is 2 March
- Orders should be packed and available ~10 weeks later, but can be held under temperature control at no cost as long as needed
- Half-price standard shipping for orders totaling $N/A or more
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We take joy in knowing that our Chateau welcomes all, and that each one of our guests gets to enjoy and experience the Provençal lifestyle. Thus, we invite you to savor the benefits of an authentic and elegant Provence Rosé!
Cheers!
Alexis Cornu
Head Winemaker
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