Tavel

The wine

On the right bank of the Rhône, in the Gard, Tavel is one of six historic appellations born in 1936, alongside Arbois, Cognac, Cassis, Monbazillac, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. But its singularity sets it apart: all Tavel wines are rosés, and only rosés. The appellation, spread over two villages — Tavel and Roquemaure — covers some seven hundred and seventy hectares of alluvial soils, ancient sands, and limestone shaped by the mistral and the Mediterranean climate. The mandatory grape mix combines dominant Grenache Noir, Cinsault, and Syrah, rounded out by white varieties such as Clairette and Grenache Blanc. The result is a rosé of rare density, of pale ruby colour, structured and full-bodied — Honoré de Balzac already singled it out as 'one of the rare rosés capable of ageing'. Twenty thousand hectolitres in 2024, exported to Belgium, Germany, the United States, and Scandinavia. Serve chilled with bouillabaisse, grilled meats, Mediterranean tapas, or couscous.