It’s hard to imagine when we started making rosé in Aix in the early 2000’s, that we often struggled to ripen the fruit to the level we wanted. We had to consider de-acidifying because the acidity was so searing! These days most Provence wineries need to add lots of acid to get balance (not us at our high elevation spot). The 2023 vintage started off very dry but early spring brought some rain and humidity that was welcomed, but the timing of it did create some mildew challenges which reduced crop size a bit. The warm and dry conditions returned for summer as has been the case the last decade.
The harvest started for us in the hills above Aix by mid-September (several weeks later than most in the lower elevation areas of Provence) and finished up late-October. We have been planting and grafting a lot within the last decade and we’re now being rewarded with a broader mix of varietals and percentages which is at the core of the ever-expanding flavor profile. Grenache and Syrah have always been at the core of the wine with Cinsault, Rolle and now Clairette coming on in recent years.