From the elegant, powder-pink ‘Pure’ rosé to the summery, spirited ‘Original Rosé Gin’, here’s how to bring some Côtes de Provence cool to your next party…
Earlier this month, Gentleman’s Journal threw the party of the summer. Held in the heat and the gardens of Oxfordshire’s majestic Blenheim Palace, we set out our stall; a table laid for over one hundred guests, stretched out in a long line between the fountains and the bold green hedges. The orangery sat beside us, golden gravel crunched beneath. But the prevailing colour of the day? Pink.
Because, free-flowing and pairing perfectly with a long summer lunch of Blenheim lamb, chorizo-marinated chicken and skewers of salmon, was that most temperate of tipples — fine rosé wine. And, for such an esteemed occasion, we wanted only the best, so turned to the most pre-eminent producers on the Côtes de Provence: Mirabeau.
Founded a little over a decade ago by Britons Jeany and Stephen Cronk, the brand’s first approachable, delectable wine — Mirabeau Classic — was launched in 2011. Since then, the Maison has expanded, developed and launched such breathtaking bottling as the high-end gastronomic rosé ‘Etoile’, the peachy, organic and vegan ‘Nude Pink’ and the accomplished aperitif wine, ‘Azure’.
But it was Mirabeau ‘Pure’ that we poured at the Gentleman’s Journal Long Summer Lunch. Launched in 2014 (the same year the Maison opened its first showroom, in the commune of Cotignac), this super pale rosé has been affectionately referred to as ‘Provence in a Glass’. So, on a mission to bring the feel and flavours of sun-soaked France to central England, we brought many bottles to Blenheim — along with the brand’s brilliantly botanical ‘Dry Gin’, a spirit inspired by the flavours of the French Riviera.
That’s why we’ve teamed up with Mirabeau to to offer readers a special discount on their first order — you’ll find your exclusive discount code below. So pop a cork, pour a glass, and allow us to explain why Mirabeau makes the ideal wines for a big summer party…
There’s a reason rosé has become synonymous with summer. Bursting with berry flavours and inspired by long, languid days on the Côte d’Azur, these powder-pink wines pour a warm weather atmosphere over any occasion, party or lunch. And few do this job with more sophistication or sippability than Mirabeau’s ‘Pure’.
Grown in the clay-concentrated soil of the Côtes de Provence, ‘Pure’ comprises a trio of tempting grape varieties; Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault. This delectable blend forms a pleasant base of delicate summer berries, from rich raspberry to slightly tart cranberries. The mouthfeel, too, has a citrus kick — a welcome, refreshing smack to savour under the sun.
And this is why we chose the ‘Pure’ as the centrepiece of the Gentleman’s Journal Long Summer Lunch. Bright and seductive, it’s everything a modern man should look for in a summer wine; overflowing with fruity notes, but tempered with a suggestion of stone fruits and even a smattering of herbs. So take it from us; try it now, and this will become the only pink you drink all summer.
But the afternoon didn’t begin and end with rosé alone. Hot on the powder-pink heels of Mirabeau’s ‘Pure’, we also served up the latest spirited launch from the Maison; a dry gin that takes those subtle herby notes of the wine above, and brings them into clearer botanical-brimming focus. Handsomely bottled and perfectly suited to summer parties, the brand calls it ‘a sensory voyage to the French Riviera’. And we’re inclined to agree.
Because the botanicals of this exquisite new gin are all inspired by fruits and flavours that grow wild on Mirabeau’s wine estate near Saint Tropez, making this dry gin truly emblematic of the French Riviera. It’s an area steeped in the aromatic history of the perfume trade, and the beautiful ribbed bottle takes its style cues from the traditional designs of fine fragrance bottles.
After identifying the potential of the local botanicals, the family swirled them through a 100% grape-based neutral spirit — made using grape skins discarded during the wine-making process. And, by adding lemon and coriander for layers of fresh citrus, orris and Angelica roots to bring earthy tones and rose, and both lavender and jasmine to round things off with floral tones, a complex, sophisticated gin was born.
But the best characteristic of this summery spirit? The herbs. From bay leaves and rosemary to piquant thyme, the savoury side of Mirabeau’s ‘Dry Gin’ makes it the ideal option for a summer lunch — inviting, intoxicating and even more palatable than the finest citrus posset (which, coincidentally, we served alongside it at Blenheim Palace…).
The last lesson we learned while making merry with Mirabeau? Bigger is better. Because, while the Maison’s ‘Pure’ may be popular in any format, nothing makes a summer splash like a statement bottle. At our lunch, we poured jeroboams of the delicious rosé — bottles with four times the capacity of ordinary bottles, balanced on the shoulders of our incredibly capable servers.
Of course, unless you’re also hosting over one hundred guests, perhaps a jeroboam is a little on the large side. Instead, we’d suggest another of these easy-pouring, elegant super-sizes; the magnum. Twice the size of a standard bottle, and with a name derived from the Latin for ‘great’, you’ll still get Mirabeau’s clean, expressive aromas of peach, lychee, passion fruit and flint — but you’ll have twice the time with which to savour them.
And it’s not only the ‘Pure’ rosé you can enjoy in this more substantial size. Mirabeau also offers two more of its incredible wines in a larger format; the subtly complex ‘Etoile’ from the beautiful region of Mont Sainte Victoire, and the fruit-forward ‘Classic’, with unctuous notes of strawberry, freesia and yellow peach. But, whichever bottle of Mirabeau you choose, you can’t go wrong. Just remember, if you do want to make a statement this summer — go big.
Gentleman’s Journal has teamed up with Mirabeau to offer readers a special discount on their first order. Enter code ‘GENTLEMAN15’ at checkout for 15% off.
Want to learn more about Mirabeau? Discover the winemaker’s full range here…
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