Divers

July 30th – After tasting more than 250 wines, Elizabeth Gabay MW picks 30 fine examples to enjoy in the sunshine :

“Inevitably, even with diverse terroir ranging from hot coastal districts to the cooler uplands in the north, including the Luberon (home to the iconic lavender fields of Provence), there is a commonality in winemaking styles. It was the wines with extra personality which stood out from the crowd.”

Tasted by: Elizabeth Gabay MW (at Provence, 01 Jun 2024)
Part of Provence rosé: This summer’s best buys
Drinking Window: 2024 – 2027
From the southern slopes of the Luberon, with vineyards at 250m on sandy soils comes this pale salmon pink rosé with a hint of Mediterranean garrigue, sweet wild strawberries and tart raspberry aromas. On the palate the raspberry fruit opens out to reveal generously ripe fruit with taut, blood orange acidity and aromatic floral notes. A lovely balance of full-bodied, concentrated fruit with well-integrated acidity, creating a charming wine that really is summer in a glass.

89/100

28 July 2024 – The Buyer Editor Richard Siddle took on and off-trade UK buyers on a trip to Luberon to discover the untapped potential of the “secret” of south of France:

“The whites, though, were the most interesting discovery of the trip. Some were textured and layered, with notes of ripe stone fruits and hints of juicy, sweet Mediterranean lemons with minerality and structure. I personally loved when the whites had a bit of oak and added a nutty fudgy layer to the already quite ripe voluptuous styles.”

Stand out whites for buyer Juliet Doughty included “Chateau La Sable Blanc”…

The Buyer | Luberon Tour: Untapped potential of the ‘secret’ of the south of France (the-buyer.net)

The Buyer | Luberon Tour Part 2: Top buyers on maximising its potential in the UK (the-buyer.net)

Château La Sable white ‘’petit m’’ 2022 was awarded a Gold Medal at the 17th Challenge Millésime BIO Concours Mondial, held each year at the Millesime Bio trade fair in Montpellier.

With over 2,000 organic wines from across the world, the Challenge Millésime Bio is the largest organic wine tasting in the world!

Château La Sable rosé 2022

This blend of Syrah, Grenache and Rolle hails from the Luberon hills and is a sheer joy of exuberant fruit. Salmon pink, with perfumed peach and redcurrant aromas. On the palate, there is an explosion of tropical fruit, opulent yellow peaches, raspberries and darker notes of sloes and damsons. Ripe concentration, pretty citrus elegance, vibrant freshness and a cool-climate leafy bite with mineral saline edge.

92/100

Château La Sable Incarnat 2022

The fruit for this blend of Syrah and Grenache is grown at 250m on south-facing sandstone. Salmon pink, with spicy oak and floral aromas. Oak is very evident on the palate, giving firm structure but still dominating the fruit. With time, the wine opens up to reveal taciturn, weighty rich red berry fruit and a touch of tannins on the finish.

90/100

La Sable white IGP Mediterranée 2021

Coming from the southern slopes of the Luberon and the most northern stretch of Provence and clearly illustrating the marriage of Rhône and Provence. The Viognier brings perfumed honey and beeswax aromas and floral prettiness to the blend. Intense, soft, honeyed fruit, ripe green apples, white peaches and long linear elegance with grapefruit pith vibrancy and minerality. Notes of garrigue, and a touch of beeswax hinting at a subtle use of oak and long, crunchy citrus acidity. Clearly showing the elegance and lacy charm of sandy soils and the freshness of altitude with a touch of linear austerity giving elegance.

91/100

Undoubtedly the largest wine competition in the world, the judges at the Decanter World Wine Awards broke records this year with 18,250 wines judged from 57 countries.
The competition’s collegial three-stage judging process is recognised by the world’s leading wine experts for its credibility.
The DWWA 2023 brought together 236 wine experts, including 53 Masters of Wine and 16 Master Sommeliers, from 30 countries.

Provence’s three largest appellations – Côtes de Provence, Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence and Coteaux Varois en Provence – together account for more than 90% of the volume of Provence rosé. Côtes de Provence and Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence cover a large area from the coast to higher inland sites, while Coteaux Varois en Provence covers the cooler uplands stretching to the north. The three appellations work together in their marketing and as a cohesive brand.
Other appellations worth considering when looking at Provence rosé are Bandol and southern Luberon. Bandol rosés usually have more Mourvèdre (the minimum amount is 20%). While many are barely different to their Côtes de Provence neighbours, a few producers are making serious, ageworthy Mourvèdre-based rosés.
The Luberon – British author Peter Mayle’s original heartland of lavender-field Provence – produces similar rosés. The slightly higher altitude and greater distance from the sea lends the wines an appealing freshness.

Château La Sable, Luberon, France 2022
91/100
Tasted by: Elizabeth Gabay MW (May 2023)
Drinking Window: 2023 – 2028
Both Grenache and Syrah play a part in this southern Luberon rosé. Delicate notes of scented flowers, pretty red berries and white peach set the scene. On the palate there is an explosion of tropical fruit, opulent yellow peaches, perfumed pêche de vigne, and a beautiful creamy richness supported by a vibrant freshness, minerality, a saline edge and a touch of wild plums and blackcurrants on the finish. Lovely concentration, elegance and freshness.

With over 1,000 years of winemaking the Luberon isn’t a new wine region by any stretch of the imagination. But its wines have been over-shadowed by its two closest neighbours Provence and the Rhône. Wine communicator of the year, Sophia Longhi, visits the Luberon for The Buyer and reports that, with its core values of sustainability and biodiversity, teamed with approachable, versatile and accomplished wines, it’s now Luberon’s time to shine.
As well as focusing on what makes the Luberon wines unique, Sophia Longhi picks 18 she thinks can work on premium wine lists.

Elizabeth Gabay, Master of Wine, is a world expert on rosés.

She has written articles on rosé for a number of leading British publications (Decanter, The Drinks Business, The Buyer, SevenFiftyDaily, Meiningers, etc.).

She has also published books on rosé. Her latest book, Les rosés du sud de la France, was published in July 2022. Château La Sable is mentioned twice!