406: How Did The Launch of the Super Premium Rosé Whispering Angel from Château D'esclans Change Provence?

How did Sacha Lichine's launch of Garrus and Whispering Angel from Château d'Esclans, which now exceeds 10 million bottles a year change Provence? What happens to a wine region when historic family estates are increasingly bought by wealthy outsiders and corporations? How can classifying wine by colour get in the way of understanding what's actually in the glass? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Liz Gabay and Ben Bernheim.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.

Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Liz Gabay and Ben Bernheim's terrific book, The Wines of Provence. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected]. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights How did Liz and Ben end up working on Kylie Minogue's Rosé? How involved are celebrities in the wines that carry their names? What happens to a wine region when historic family estates are increasingly bought by celebrities, corporations, and wealthy outsiders? How did Garrus and Whispering Angel prove that consumers would pay serious money for Provence Rosé? Why do Liz and Ben push back against the idea that expensive, oak-aged Rosé is not real Rosé? How can classifying wines by colour get in the way of understanding what is in the glass? Where is the line between dark Rosé, a chilled red, and the emerging category sometimes called blouge? Could Provence's future lie in fresh, chilled reds that blur the traditional boundaries between red and Rosé? Why should winemakers worry less about categories and focus more on making the best wine they can? Can fine Rosé really age for decades and what happens to its flavours as it gets older?

About Elizabeth Gabay MW & Ben Bernheim Elizabeth Gabay MW entered the wine trade in 1986, founding Elizabeth Gabay & Partners. She became a Master of Wine in 1998. She has lived in south-eastern France since 2002, and is currently based in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Since 2020 she has been working with her son Ben Bernheim. They write for numerous magazines with a global readership, largely, but not only, about rosé and are regular speakers at wine fairs and competitions. Elizabeth is the author of Rosé: Understanding The Pink Wine Revolution in the Classic Wine Library series, and Rosés of Southern France, which she co-authored with Ben Bernheim. Gabay and Bernheim make their own wine in Slovakia, in partnership with Vladimir Magula and have consulted with other producers on rosé, including Kylie Minogue. Together they organise a rosé writing competition and trade events, including their Fine Rosé Day.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/406.