Domaines Ott - Bandol Rosé Château Romassan 2021 (750ml)

Its pale, ethereal pink color tinted with gold or orange, releases a bouquet of citrus fruits and white orchard flowers. On the palate, the immediate effect is lively and bright, revealing notes of pink grapefruit, fleshy fruit and, once the wine has had a chance to breathe, hints of fruit tart. The finish is complex and lasting.

Château Romassan sits at the foot of the hilltop village Le Castellet, a few miles north of the Bay of Bandol. The Otts rely on mourvèdre for the bulk of their rosé (this one includes 30 percent cinsault and 15 percent grenache), and, though 2021 was another hot summer here, Romassan’s poor limestone and sandstone soils produced a deeply savory wine. This pale Bandol seems to have inhaled the local scrubland and seaside breezes, presenting that savory edge alongside husk cherry, grapefruit and pale melon flavors. Firm and versatile, it would pair nicely with anything from bouillabaisse to a Niçoise salad; or take it abroad alongside chicken yakitori.

Very juicy yet restrained in style, with a core of peach, jasmine, white cherry and rosemary backed by a long finish, which ripples with a wet stone note. Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Grenache. Drink now.

Shimmering, onion skin color. Intense red berry, citrus fruit and floral aromas, along with building suggestions of succulent herbs and dusty minerals. Sappy and penetrating on the palate, offering concentrated strawberry, orange pith and honeysuckle flavors that slowly deepen and take on a peachy nuance with aeration. Finishes impressively long and focused, with a repeating mineral note and a late hint of tarragon.

Mainly Mourvèdre, with smaller proportions of Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah, the 2021 Bandol Rose Chateau Romassan is coppery in hue. Offering up hints of crushed stone alongside peach, melon and lime, it's nicely balanced and easy to drink but also long, zesty-briny and stony on the finish.