2023 Domaine de Triennes, Rosé, Méditerranée, Southern France
About this WINE
Domaine de Triennes
Domaine de Triennes was founded in 1989 by two superstars of Burgundy, Jacques Seyss of Domaine Dujac and Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. This estate, high up in the hills of the Var region of Provence, is fast establishing itself as one of the finest in the region.
Situated deep in truffle country, vines have been grown here for two thousand years. The name of the estate comes from the triennia, the festivities held in honour of Bacchus that took place every three years in Roman times.
This 40 hectare domaine boasts a range of grape varieties including Syrah, Viognier, Carignan, Cinsault, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The cool nights and slow ripening produces top quality fruit that is shaped into ripe but extremely elegant wines by Jacques's talented son, Jeremy, who runs the estate.
Domaine de Triennes have an organic Ecocert certification and their St. Fleur Viogner is certified Biodynamic as of the 2011 vintage.
Provence
The Roman poet Martial once condemned the wines of Provence’s capital Marseilles as “terrible poisons, and never sold at a good price”. Fortunately, this harrowing proclamation was born of envy.
Quite how long winemaking has been going on in Provence is a matter of historical debate, but it is thought that it dates back as far as the Greek founding of Massilia (now Marseilles) in 600 BC.
Although Rome tried to curtail the production of wine here so as to favour exports of Italian goods throughout the Empire, soldiers retiring from the legions undermined them by privately continuing to grow grapes in this area of France they called Provincia Nostra (‘our province’).
Like other areas in the Mediterranean, Provence has played host to a series of cultures during its history, and each one has added its own touch to the region’s winemaking, particularly in terms of grape varieties. Simply listing some of the grapes found in the province gives a good idea of this variance, as they include Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache (the most planted), Ugni Blanc, Clairette, the indigenous Calitor, Barbaroux, Rolle (Vermentino) and Sémillon, amongst others.
Provence, to the east of Languedoc-Rousillon,is blessed with a Mediterranean climate, entailing warm summers and mild winters. With an annual average of up to 3,000 hours, excessive sun is a concern for many vines. Fortunately the heat is alleviated by the northerly mistral wind, and the risk of fungal diseases is minimal – which makes Provence suitable for organic viticulture.
The region is predominantly known for its rosé wines, which account for over half of Provençal production and are usually dry. The tiny enclave of Cassis stands out as a predominantly white wine region.
Provence’s Appellations d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) are:
- Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence
- Les Baux-de-Provence
- Coteaux Varois
- Côtes de Provence (the largest appellation)
- Bandol
- Cassis
- Bellet
- Palette
Vin de pays is also produced throughout the region.
Other Varieties
There are over 200 different grape varieties used in modern wine making (from a total of over 1000). Most lesser known blends and varieties are traditional to specific parts of the world.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
Grenache; Cinsault; Syrah; Merlot. 100% organic (Ecocert certified).
When the calendar rolls around and I receive a sample of Triennes Rosé to taste, I know the warm weather is imminent. The nose is bursting with an array of fresh citrus, strawberry and raspberry, along with red and white currants. The palate is crisp, refreshing and tastes like summer. Completely quaffable, this is a real favourite.
Amy Johnson, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd (April 2024)
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