Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food

Rose | Rosé, The Sequel

Winery: Château des Demoiselles
Cuvée: Cuvée Saint-Michel d’Esclans
Appellation: Côtes de Provence
Type: Rosé
Vintage: 2022
Grape Varieties: 35% Cinsault, 35% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah and 5% Tibouren
Alcohol: 13%
Average Retail Price: U.S. $17

Here I am again pairing rosé with rose flavors, even though there is no correlation. Today’s preparation could not be more different from my Chicken Ispahan back in February. While the rose flavor in that dish was front and center, it is incredibly subtle in today’s recipe and I highly recommend that you give it a go. It is Cailles aux Roses (quail in rose sauce). You can find the recipe on Cocoa & Lavender. (If quail are difficult to source, bone-in, skin on chicken thighs work well… and, honestly, are a bit easier to eat.)

The wine I chose to pair with my quail is the 2022 rosé Cuvée Saint-Michel d’Esclans. It comes from the Château des Demoiselles, and I found it on the highly regarded online wine shop, Garagiste. (If you don’t know them, you should check them out.) When I buy from them, I often buy wines that I don’t know and it’s very much a fun enological adventure. They don’t always let you know the cépage, especially when it’s a blend, but might say “traditional Provence-style blend.” And that was the case here. It sounded good to me so I bought three bottles.

It is a beautiful pale pink with a hint of salmon, and has a bright and floral nose that includes red fruit and citrus. The red fruits are echoed on the palate: strawberry and red currant, along with ripe orange melon. It is well-balanced and very fresh in the mouth, with a nice heft — more than its pale color suggests. It has nice minerality, and a long finish.

It paired exquisitely with the quail (especially my sauce), which brought out the mineral mouthfeel so beautifully. Trying to diet un peu, I promised myself just one small glass. It was so good that my self-promise flew out the window as I continued to enjoy the pairing throughout the evening.

This is a wonderful wine for apéro — it drinks beautifully on its own, but it also pairs incredibly well with food, specifically todays dish. It goes beautifully with simply grilled fish and seafood and, as seen in my post, chicken and poultry. Perfect for Thanksgiving! The wine is not a friend to sweet dishes, though… finish up before dessert. But before dinner with some fresh chèvre? Delightful.