Chateau Vannieres - Rosé of Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre - Côtes de Provence Rosé, FR - 2025

Satellite's Hot Take

Really ideal rosé with a ton of minerality and depth - yet light as a feather

Notes from the Winery/Importer

VARIETAL 50% Cinsault 30% Grenache 20% Mourvèdre SOIL TYPE Marl, Limeston, Sand VINEYARD La Cadiere d’Azur - Saint Cyr sur Mer HARVEST Manual harvested & sorted 45hl/ha VINIFICATION Saignee & Direct Press Native Yeast Aged 6 months in Stainless Steel TASTING NOTES Pretty light shade, intense nose of fruit with floral nuance. Bright, mineral palate, fleshy attack and beautiful freshness.

Notes on the Producer

​Located between the village of La Cadière d’Azur and Saint-Cyr-surMer, the Vannières castle is exposed south-west and preserved to the north by the Sainte Baume massif. In 1957, Lucien Boudot, winemaker in Beaujolais and Rhone Valley, acquired this Domaine which has 33 hectares in production. Eric Boisseaux (his grandson), is working to evolve the style of Château Vannières, combining it with the expertise of modern oenology, while respecting the originality of the terroir and the grape varieties. The soil, composed of marls and limestones, gives fine tannins, powerful and complex bouquets.

Grapes & Style

Cinsault

Cinsault is a Mediterranean red grape with a long history in southern France, North Africa, and parts of the eastern Mediterranean. It’s often used in blends, especially with Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Carignan, but it can also make beautiful varietal wines when treated gently.

In the vineyard, Cinsault is productive, drought-tolerant, and well suited to warm, dry climates. Because it can crop heavily, quality depends on thoughtful farming and restraint. It has also been important historically as a table grape and as a parent of Pinotage, the South African cross with Pinot Noir.

In the glass, Cinsault tends to be pale, fragrant, and easy on its feet, with red fruit, flowers, spice, and soft tannins. It’s often used to bring perfume and lift to blends, but the best standalone versions are lovely precisely because they don’t try too hard. Light, fresh, and quietly aromatic is usually the sweet spot.

Grenache

Grenache is one of the great Mediterranean red grapes, central to the southern Rhône, Spain, and many of the warmer, drier wine regions around the world. It’s known as Garnacha in Spain, where it has deep roots, and it plays a major role in wines from places like Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Priorat, Navarra, and the Sierra de Gredos.

In the vineyard, Grenache ripens late and likes heat, sun, and wind. It can handle drought well, but it needs thoughtful farming because it can produce high alcohol and soft structure if pushed too far. Old vines are especially valuable, often giving naturally lower yields and more concentrated fruit.

In the glass, Grenache tends toward red fruit, strawberry, raspberry, dried herbs, spice, and a warm, generous texture. It’s usually lighter in color than its flavor suggests, with moderate tannin and plenty of charm. The best versions balance ripeness with freshness, showing warmth without becoming heavy.

Mourvèdre

Mourvèdre is a late-ripening Mediterranean red grape, especially important in Bandol, the southern Rhône, Spain, and warm coastal regions around the world. In Spain it’s usually called Monastrell, and in Australia it has often been known as Mataro. It’s frequently blended with Grenache and Syrah, but in the right places it can stand powerfully on its own.

In the vineyard, Mourvèdre needs heat and a long season to ripen properly. It likes warm, dry conditions, often near the sea, and can struggle in cooler or wetter climates. When it ripens fully, it brings deep color, tannin, and a distinctly savory dimension.

In the glass, Mourvèdre tends toward dark fruit, black plum, dried herbs, leather, earth, game, and spice. It can be firm and brooding in youth, but the best versions develop real complexity with age. We like it most when the richness is matched by freshness and the wine keeps its wild, savory edge.