More than just a pretty face - Miraval Cotes de Provence Rosé 2013

oooh! i feel like I'm in Provence!!

Sometimes you visit a wine region, and the wine just tastes so incredible.  You bring some back or buy some when you get back home to recreate that experience, and most times it falls short.  This was not my experience with the Miraval Provence Rosé.  It tasted as great today as it did when my hubby and I lounged under an olive tree at the Perrin family restaurant L'oustalet in Gigondas http://www.loustalet-gigondas.com/en/.  Great wine can transport us, and sipping on this little beauty; I am back in Southern France!

This pink drink is brought to us by the extraordinary Perrin family.  They are masters of the southern Rhone Valley to say the least, and everything they touch tastes delicious.  It's no wonder that when they decided to make wine from select parcels in Provence (on their summer estate no less) and partner with the Jolie-Pitts (yes THOSE Jolie-Pitts) it would be phenomenal.

Grapes:  Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, Rolle
Typical blend for south of France.  Rolle is a white grape - also known as Vermentino by our friends in Italia.
Region: Cotes de Provence
http://familleperrin.com/.  This is a large area as we've learned, but that doesn't mean that the wine has to suck.  This wine is made from selected single vineyards withing the region.

Color: pretty pale pink
Nose: melon, peach, raspberry and strawberry.  delicate violet and wet stone.
Palate: tart wild strawberry, citrus fruits, crisp and fresh.  Little twang of mint, lots of mineral and mouthwatering acidity. Great zingy finish.
Price: $25
Pairing: had the first half with sushi and the second half with a Caesar salad!  Easy to drink solo though!!

The Verdict
This is my favorite rose so far in this tasting.  It's so elegant and lean but has so much power and grace behind it.  It's such a pretty balance of floral and herbaceous peppered with delicate peach and strawberry.  If you see this bottle, don't be afraid of it's distinct squat and sloping bottle shape - or it's $25 ish price tag.  Buy it and drink it --- preferably outdoors.  It's irrisistable.