Clos Cibonne Cotes de Provence Tibouren Cuvee Speciale des Vignettes Rose 2021 1.5L

94 Wine Advocate - 2021
The 2021 Cotes de Provence Rose Cuvee Speciale des Vignettes was produced with the oldest Tibouren vines of Clos Cibonne and matured in old barrels. It has a delicate, refined bouquet with aromas of spring flowers, garrigue, red berries, tonca bean and iodine as well as delicate oaky hints. Medium to full-bodied, lively and delicate, it has a lively, fine acidity structure and perfectly well-integrated oaky notes. Perfectly ripe, it will offer a broad drinking window.

Clos Cibonne’s iconic Cuvée Spéciale des Vignettes stands uniquely apart from other rosés as a classic, one-of-a-kind Côtes de Provence rosé featuring the tibouren grape in the lead role. Legendary amongst experienced French wine collectors for its texture, substance, and ability to age gracefully for a decade or more, Cuvée Spéciale des Vignettes is 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 it’s own through combining a rare grape with a unique aging process. 

Cuvée Spéciale des Vignettes is a limited wine, a selection made exclusively of the estate’s oldest, over 60-year-old organic tibouren grapes. Vignettes is often the longest-lived of the Cibonne cuvées, repaying 10+ years of cellar time. The vineyard, one of 18 Crus Classés of Côtes de Provence, consists of traditional goblet trained vines located close to the Mediterranean Sea in the foothills of the Maures mountains, overlooking Toulon’s harbor. 

Vinification – After an early morning manual harvest, the grapes are destemmed and directly pressed. The must goes into temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, which are cooled to slow the fermentation process. After fermentation with indigenous yeasts, the wines are racked into over 120-year-old foudres, where they age on the fine lees for one year under a thin veil of fleurette.
Site: Le Pradet at 50m
Grapes: Tibouren
Vine Age: 60+ years old
Soil: Schist
Farming: Certified Organic
Vinification: Fermented by native yeasts in stainless steel
Aging: 12 months under fleurette in 120-year-old foudres