La Minuette has a pale tone that compliments the rosé in the summertime. The one that invites itself to the apéritif and follows along as the dinner begins, accompanying a delectable grilled fish or shellfish. But Domaine Gayda‘s La Minuette holds many more secrets and is much more complex than it seems.
“Beyond its color, obtained by a light pressing, we were inspired by Bandol and its king grape variety, to vinify this wine. Mourvèdre makes up 60% of the blend alongside Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault,” explains Vincent Chansault. As winemaker and co-founder of the estate in the 2000s, he has worked on this wine like a white, juggling between acidity and smoothness from organically grown grapes on the limestone terroir of La Livinière.
FROM THE GRAPE TO THE ROSE
La Minuette is vegan-friendly and has been matured on lees and stamped Pays d’Oc IGP. The result is a new bottle with a delicate floral nose, citrus notes, a fresh, mineral mouthfeel and a gourmet finish… Jancis Robinson, one of the world’s most influential wine critics, gave it an exceptional score of 17 out of 20. As for its name, it was chosen as a tribute to Tim Ford, the owner of the estate. Before growing vineyards, he devoted 25 years of his life to the growth of roses in Africa. “La Minuette” was the first variety that he ever planted in Kenya in 1982. Today, roses still play an important part in Domaine Gayda’s identity.
GOOD TO KNOW
Domaine Gayda, creator of the famous “Chemin de Moscou” cuvée, now has 21 cuvées in the three colors. With the exception of “Villa Mon Rêve”, in AOP Minervois La Livinière, they are all signed in IGP Pays d’Oc – a matter of freedom of speech since the different terroirs of the domain are almost all classified in the appellation.
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