Domaine Hauvette "Petra" Alpilles Rosé '23

“Not far from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a tourist town known for Roman ruins and as the place where Van Gogh painted “The Starry Night,” you’ll find Domaine Hauvette. Nestled among the foothills of Les Alpilles, the vines are surrounded by a rocky and wild landscape—the clay and limestone soil retains moisture for the arid summer months, the mistral blows half the year, and garrigue is seemingly everywhere. It is here that in the early 1980s Dominique Hauvette, seeking more sunshine, left her job as a lawyer in the Savoie, rediscovered her passion for raising horses, and began studying oenology. Thirty-some years later and Dominique now has 17 hectares of vines and an international reputation for making benchmark natural wines.” (Kermit Lynch)

A direct-press rosé, “Petra” is a blend of 70% Cinsault, 15% Syrah, and 15% Grenache, from a one-hectare vineyard with an average vine age of 15 years. Élevage is carried out in concrete eggs, with one year sur lie. If you love the best of Provençal rosé, whether it be Tempier or another producer, this is a must-buy.