Château Peyrassol La Croix Rosé Méditerranée IGP 2022
The Commanderie de Peyrassol is emblematic of the rich viticultural history of Provence, having produced wine for nearly 800 years. Today Peyrassol makes a range of high quality wines that build upon the long history of the winery and the iconic terroir of the region with contemporary winery facilities. The estate sits in the foothills of the massif des Maures, 10 miles from the Mediterranean Sea between Cannes and Marseille and has 95 hectares planted to vineyards cultivated on dry, rocky clay and limestone soils. At the core of the brand remains the Commanderie and all that it stands for: in addition to excellent wine, the estate is a historic sanctuary for gathering travelers and an enduring pillar of hospitality and conviviality.
The first recorded harvest dates back to 1256, when the Knight’s Templar founded and controlled the Commanderie. Wine production has been continuous since then, even as the estate changed hands to the Knights of Malta, and subsequently the state after the French Revolution. In 1870 it was acquired by the Rigord family, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that the winery truly began to take off with Francois Rigord, who came to be known as “La Dame de Peyrassol.” With her joyful personality, famous sense of hospitality, and winemaking talent, Francois was the perfect person to represent the Commanderie, and she brought the wines to market, fame and acclaim in 1981. She also planted Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon on the estate in addition to the Grenache and Cinsault already growing, and the white varietals of Rolle, Ugni Blanc, Semillon and Clairette.
In 2001 Rigord agreed to pass the winery to Philippe Austruy, charmed by his passion and clear dedication to the property. The Austruy family invested in the vineyard, cellar and hosting facilities, creating a contemporary wine experience built around historical roots. Today the winery is managed by Phillipe’s Nephew, Alban Cacaret, who leads a team of experts from vineyard to cellar.
Peyrassol has consciously maintained organic practices in full respect of the surrounding environment, aiming for certification in the coming years. No synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or fungicides are used in the vineyards. The age of the vines, the rocky terrain, and the hot, dry climate all do their part to severely restrict yields. Consequently, harvests typically average between 25 and 40 hectoliters per hectare depending on the vineyard and grape variety.
Inspired by the values at the origin of the Commanderie: a sense of place, of great energy and centuries old commitment to hospitality, Peyrassol is now, more than ever, synonymous with great wines and celebrated generosity across the world.
Produced from roughly equal parts Grenache and Cinsault, plus a splash of Vermentino, the 2019 Peyrassol La Croix blends 50% estate holdings with fruit sourced from the Côtes de Provence as well as further north toward Mont Sainte-Victoire. An exemplar of Peyrassol’s blending acumen, it offers the precision and elegance that characterizes all the estate’s rosés, albeit in a more direct, fruit-forward manner than the other wines.
The 2019 growing season saddled Peyrassol with high temperatures and dry conditions—factors increasingly becoming the new normal in France—but a bit of well-timed gentle rainfall during harvest brought welcome balance to the fruit and neutralized the looming threat of heavy, hydric-stress-affected rosés. Varieties and parcels at Peyrassol are all vinified individually, which allows the estate great flexibility in the blending of their various cuvées. Indeed, one of the most remarkable things about the range of rosés at Peyrassol is how well-measured and notable the "steps up the ladder" are in the lineup. The wines do not get more boisterous or rich as one climbs; rather, they become more filigree, detailed, and fine—each progressive rung a further zoom-in on a sort of Platonic ideal of Provence rosé. This collection of 2019s sees Peyrassol firing on all cylinders in a vintage exceedingly favorable to their style of wine.
