Olivier Coste Rosé Solis Lumen Pays d'Oc 2021
This pale blush pink rosé is lively and crisp, with red-berried fruit and citrus characters through to a refreshing finish.
Producer Note - Since his childhood, Olivier Coste's favourite place to play was in the vineyards and the wine cellar at his family’s wine estate, which was founded in 1701 in Pézenas. With this upbringing, he developed a passion for nature, the Languedoc region and southern French wines. The vineyards are located a few kilometres from Pézenas where the Mediterranean Sea asserts its influence on the vines. The estate is certified HVE3, which complements the family’s existing ‘Carbon Neutral’ approach. They reduce their CO2 emissions, keeping them to a minimum and offset the rest by financing ecological initiatives, including projects in India. Olivier’s (OC) original Stars range has been created for those who appreciate a modern, fresh and fruity varietal wine and is complemented by quirky packaging.
Vintage - 2021 was an extremely challenging vintage across France. After a warm start to the spring, which brought the vines along, a sudden severe frost hit vineyards during the second week in April, damaging the buds and significantly reducing yields throughout the Languedoc Roussillon region. While the production was significantly reduced across the region, the remaining fruit produced juice of excellent quality.
Vineyard - Solis Lumen is made from a blend of traditional grape varieties from the South of France. The vineyard is certified organic and yields are kept low to concentrate the flavours in the juice. The warm Mediterranean climate is influenced by the cooling effect of the sea, resulting in intensely flavoured fruit balanced by natural freshness. The vineyard is farmed in the traditional way, using mechanical tools rather than chemical herbicides to control weeds; pheromones are used rather than pesticides to reduce pests in the vineyard and grape pomace is employed as fertiliser to nourish the soils. Sustainable cultivation methods preserve the biodiversity and the ecology of the environment in the vineyard. The grapes are harvested in the cool of the night, in order to retain freshness and quality.
Winemaking - The grapes were carefully selected and then destemmed, before undergoing brief skin maceration to impart the delicate pink hue to the juice. Fermentation took place with selected yeasts at cool temperatures of 15 to 18°C to retain the fruity character. The wine spent several months in stainless steel tanks, before being bottled young to retain its vibrancy.
Tasting Note - This pale blush pink rosé is lively and crisp, with red-berried fruit and citrus characters through to a refreshing finish.
Grape Grenache Noir 80%, Cinsault 20%
Winemaker: Olivier Coste
Region: Languedoc Roussillon
Subregion: Pays d'Oc
Country: France
Alcohol: 12.5%
Dry/Sweet value: 1 (1 is dry, 7 is very sweet)
Residual Sugar: 0
Contains Sulphites: Yes
Vegetarian/Vegan: Yes/Yes
Milk/Eggs: No/No
Organic: Yes
Biodynamic: No
Closure: Screwcap
