Mas de Valériole, “Grand Mar” Rosé

Not only am I a year-round rosé drinker, I overwhelmingly prefer rosés that leave a lasting impression. Not everyone thinks of rosé this way—some want simple, slightly sweet refreshment and that’s it—but I suspect that if you subscribe to SommSelect, you think like I do. And I’ll go a step further: If you believe in the idea of terroir and appreciate wines that communicate it in a perceptible way, there are few wines in the world that do so as clearly and convincingly as Provençal rosé. That’s why, when the occasion calls for a rosé, I will always pay a (relatively slight) premium for a wine like Mas de Valériole’s “Grand Mar.” It is so worth it.Not only is this wine meant to be a rosé from the outset (as opposed to being a by-product of a red wine fermentation), it plants you in a very specific place in the world and makes you want to know more about it. That place is called the Camargue, in Provence, right near where the Rhône River empties into the Mediterranean Sea. In addition to