Clos Cibonne, Tibouren & Grenache, Cuvée Tradition Rosé, Côtes de Provence, France 2022

90% Tibouren and 10% Grenache. Organic certified and vegan. The Grenache is just there to comply with AOP rules, or else this would be 100% Tibouren.

Tibouren is a very old grape variety originally grown in Mesopotamia, propagated by the Greeks, and transported by the Romans to Italy and then France. It is a very fine, thin-skinned grape which requires a lot of ventilation to be successful and needs to grow close to the ocean. Clos Cibonne has the perfect terroir for the grape.

After harvesting by hand, the estate's wines are directly pressed and fermented in stainless steel. The wine is then aged under fleurette (a thin veil of yeast, similar to the process in Sherry or Jura wines) in 120-year-old, 5,000L foudres for one year. Clos Cibonne crafts a wine that is completely its own through combining a rare grape with a unique aging process.

Cuvée Tradition is legendary amongst experienced French wine collectors for its texture, substance, and ability to age gracefully for a decade or more.