2021 Château La Mascaronne, Rosé, Côtes de Provence, France
(£81.00, per six bottles in bond, laywheeler.com)
There are few properties in the south of France as breathtakingly beautiful as La Mascaronne. There are 60 hectares of organically farmed vines here, and they form one contiguous plot surrounded by oak and olive trees on all sides.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Michel Reybier, owner of Château Cos d’Estournel, a 2ème Cru in Saint-Estèphe, and the elite La Réserve hotels in London, Paris, Geneva, Zurich and Ramatuelle, bought this exquisite estate in 2020, and I raved about his inaugural vintage last year. On the whole, 2021 is not as lush a vintage as 2020, and lesser wines feel a little skinny and undernourished.
However, the top estates have brought a singular definition and elegance to their creations, and La Mascaronne is nothing short of a work of art in 2021. I tasted this beauty back in March, and it has been a rare form of torture waiting for stock to make it to the UK. In the intervening months, I have tasted hosts of 2021s, and this wine soars above all others with its grace, refinement and impressively long finish.
This wine’s endearing hallmark flavours are English rhubarb, pomegranate arils and delicate pink melon tones balanced by crystalline acidity. While I tend to single out grenache-dominant wines in my scribblings, La Mascaronne is made from 40% grenache, 25% cinsault, 20% syrah and 15% vermentino. This layering of ingredients brings the kaleidoscopic flavours found in this divine creation.
-
IHT receipts hit record high – is it set to rise further?HMRC is set to collect a historic number of IHT receipts between April 2023 and March 2024. We look at how you can stop the taxman eating into your inheritance.
-
Adidas, Nike or Jordans - could collectable trainers make you rich?The right pair of trainers can fetch six figures. Here's how you can start collecting vintage Adidas, Nike or Jordans now
-
A South African adventureReviews From buzzy Johannesburg to big game drives, South Africa has it all, says Katie Monk
-
Villa Gaia Rock: perfect harmony in CorfuReviews Blend in with your surroundings at the new Villa Gaia Rock in Corfu.
-
Indulge your wild side with a safari in deepest KentReviews Get up close to the animals at Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve, says Matthew Partridge
-
Two stunning Sicilian villasReviews There is so much to see in Sicily, says Chris Carter. Villa stays allow you to take it all in.
-
Wine of the week: New Zealand’s finest “white” pinot noirReviews Act without delay to secure this enchanting Kiwi white – there is nothing like it on earth
-
Ellenborough Park: a winning country house hotelReviews Come to Ellenborough Park for the horse racing, stay for the fine dining, says Matthew Partridge
-
The Lygon Arms: a Cotswolds hotel full of historyReviews The Lygon Arms in Broadway is such an impressive hotel that some people never want to leave, says Matthew Partridge.
-
Wine of the week: two cunning Australian blendsReviews Matthew Jukes tastes a pair of gorgeous Australian reds – a fruity shiraz mixed with glossy zibibbo, and a three-way combo of montepulciano, nero d’Avola and barbera.
