Clos Cibonne, Rosé "Tentations" Côtes de Provence, France 2021

Clos Cibonne Tentations is made with fruit from young Tibouren vines at Clos Cibonne, as well as Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah grown by farmers in prime spots in the villages of La Crau and Carqueiranne, with whom the Deforges family has long-standing relationships.

Tentations Rosé is focused on the expression of fresh fruit and does not undergo the extensive barrel aging process of the traditional Clos Cibonne line. Offering immediate and unpretentious enjoyment, it is fantastic as an aperitif, and also has the complexity to compliment diverse flavors at the table. Cibonne Tentations represents one of the best quality to value ratios in the Côtes de Provence region.

2021 was a rollercoaster of a vintage that produced excellent results in the end. Clos Cibonne was fortunately unaffected by the fires in Provence due to their favorable location. Cibonne did see lower yields, though, as a result of the unusual weather patterns of 2021, particularly the April frost which damaged early bud growth in some vineyards. This resulted in a loss of up to 30% of production, but did not affect quality, which is exceptional. Healthy, fully ripe bunches yielded tangy, refreshing fruit with excellent acidity and impressive depth.

The fruit for this cuvée is grown by vigneron neighbors with whom Clos Cibonne has long-standing relationships. The Tibouren comes from the fruit of young vines at Clos Cibonne that does not make it into the estate wine. Grapes are direct-pressed, and the must is fermented at low temperature in stainless steel tanks and aged on the lees for two months.