Château des Sarrins goes for large bottles

Château des Sarrins – the Provence estate owned by Champagne Bruno Paillard – will be increasing its focus on large bottle formats for the latest vintage of its rosé.  The 2013 rosé will be available in jeroboams for the UK market and has already secured a listing with the world’s most celebrated chef, Alain Ducasse, at his newest London-based venture, Rivea, where it is poured by the glass from the jeroboam. 

Château des Sarrins rosé is a blend of classic Provence varieties: Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mouvèdre and Rolle and the resulting wine is fermented dry with no residual sugar.  The estate – which is named “Les Sarrins” from a local legend according to which an 11th Century Saracen war chief was killed and buried on the property – specialises in rosé, which accounts for 70% of production.  The estate has been certified organic since 2011.

Ch des Sarrins Rosé 2013 has an RRP of £15.99 for the 75cl bottle and is also available in 50cl, magnum and jeroboam. It is available to specialist wine retailers and the on-trade only, from UK agent Bibendum.  

Bruno Paillard bought Château des Sarrins in 1995 and revitalised the property, retaining parcels of old vines, planting new vineyards and building a new gravity system winemaking facility, working organically since day one. The estate comprises 25 hectares of vineyards in the village of Saint Antonin du Var, planted on chalk/clay slopes at 250 to 300 meters above sea level. While the climate is Mediterranean, the altitude ensures cool nights during the warm summer months. 

7 July 2014 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor