Rosorange 2023:
Innovation in the service of pleasure
An innovative wine
Jean-Claude Mas has a track record of innovation and persistence. From 1998, he made a Chardonnay vinified as a red wine. Then it was an orange wine, well before that ancient Georgian winemaking method was emulated by its European neighbours and went on to find success on French dining tables. Two years ago, he launched RosOrange, a surprising marriage of rosé and orange wines, for the best and for… pleasure. Because he who is unafraid of breaking the rules is not seeking to convince, but to seduce. Jean-Claude knows it : « Innovation mustn’t be compromised, but embraced. »
The grapes, grown organically, come in red, white and grey. For the 2023 vintage, Cinsault (30% of the blend), Grenache Noir (25%) and a portion of Grenache Gris (20%) are vinified as rosé from direct pressing.
The white varieties, Macabeu (15 %) and Vermentino (10%), as well as the second portion of Grenache Gris, are destemmed.
The maceration of the juice on the skins for 6 to 8 days at controlled temperature gives a light amber colour to the must.
The two tiers of the alcoholic fermentation are carried out on the skins, and then the
juice is pressed off and blended back into the part made as a rosé. With the two colours now assembled, they complete the fermentation together before being matured for two months in stainless steel.
The results in this elegant bottle ?
A wine with cellaring potential of several years, which combines the complexity of orange wine with the approachability of rosé.
It begins on the nose with notes of candied fruits (orange peel and quince) enriched with almond nuances reminiscent of cherry pits. Its supple texture fills the mouth, carried by aromas of exotic fruits such as lychee.
To this full bodied and powerful mouthful, we add a welcome freshness, a balance which is soughtafter by winemaker Jean- Claude Mas. And the unctuous wave which coats the palate leaves, as it fades, a bitter note, a memory of the pleasure already enjoyed, and by the light drying sensation that it produces, an invitation to return.
“A welcome freshness, a balance which is soughtafter by Jean-Claude Mas”
Our era is about carefully managed tannins, and this well-made wine meets this demand for lightness. It lends itself to a spontaneous moment, either as an aperitif or alongside a buffet, and to the changes in our culinary habits. Served cool at 12°C, it pairs perfectly with a plate of soft cheeses, vegetable cuisines or spicy Asian dishes. In combining vivacity with body, it matches well with the umami taste which one finds in soy sauce or pickled fish. An opinion shared by those who have already enjoyed it : it was in Japan that the cuvée was first launched.
