Wines

Mas de Valériole produces white wines as sprightly and evocative as their rosés, and we are excited to dip into their lineup here with the “Charmentin”—a blend of 70% Rolle (Vermentino) and 30% Chardonnay, fermented in stainless steel and bottled after six months on the fine lees. This is a wine anchored no so much by its acidity, which is adequate yet not assertive, as by the cleansing sense of bitterness left on the palate by the thick-skinned Rolle. A subtle hint of salinity weaves its way into the generous but restrained fruit, and the domaine’s preference for low sulfur shows itself in the wine’s lift and purity.

“Vé”—a local Provençal expression meaning “Look at that!”—is a blend of 70% Caladoc (a crossing of Grenache and Malbec), 15% Merlot, and 15% Marselan (a crossing of Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon) from soils of sand and loam. Harvested at night to ensure that the bunches are cool upon entry to the winery, “Vé” is pressed directly and given a brief passage in stainless steel before bottling. Clocking in at a modest 13% alcohol, it offers bright, salt-tinged flavors of raspberry and ripe citrus fruits, with a sneakily long finish given its modest price.

“Grand Mar” is pure Caladoc, a crossing of Grenache and Malbec which is particularly well-suited to the deep south of France, given its resistance to coulure (uneven flowering). Macerated briefly before pressing, it is slightly more assertive in its fruit character, with higher-pitched white cherries and a more penetrating impression of minerality on the palate. While no heavier than the “Vé”, it is both finer and longer, with an overall sense of poise that shames many a rosé from the Côtes de Provence.

Though far from being fundamentalist about it, the Michels produce a number of cuvées with no added sulfur dioxide, and “Beauduc”—pure Marselan, a crossing of Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon particularly well suited to the climatic specificities of the south of France—is a sterling example of their acumen in that regard. With appetizing black and dark red fruits, wispy spice, and a subtle undercurrent of foxy earthiness, this steel-aged wine is clean, juicy and beautifully balanced.

The “Empreinte” is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet and Marselan from their 15th century property in the Camargue. The wine is vinified in 400-liter barrels that are carted to the vineyards, where whole clusters are thrown in and trod by foot! Fermentation is obviously with indigenous yeasts and the wine ages for two years in the barrels. “Empreinte” is bottled unfined, with a light filtration; no sulfites are added at any point. Certified organic.