Arthur Sellers Bulletin Archive
(Irving Berlin)
We’ll be taking your orders for the very elegant 2011 Rosés from Domaine Gavoty to the LCBO this coming Friday, March 23rd. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enjoy the same world-class Rosés that can be found in many of the finest hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe. Domaine Gavoty makes great, very serious and sophisticated Rosé!
Domaine Gavoty
Philémon Gavoty purchased the Domaines de Campdumy (Campdumy means ‘fields of the wine harvest’ in Provençal) in 1806. Eight successive generations of Gavotys have managed the estate since then. In 1960 André Gavoty handed over part of the estate to his nephew
Pierre, who along with Bernard Gavoty managed the two fifty hectare properties known as Petit and Grand Campdumy. The two were real visionaries and worked tirelessly to promote and expand the Côtes de Provence appellation. The property was reduced to less than fifty hectares in 1997 with the sale of Bernard’s land. Pierre’s daughter Roselyne took over winemaking duties in 1985 and full responsibility for the domaine in 2001, ably assisted by her husband Hervé.
The Gavoty land is quite miserable, some would argue nasty and gnarly – clay, limestone and rocks. Some parts can’t even be ploughed! Wild boars delight in traipsing among the vines. And then to add to the vines’ misery, the weather goes through extremes – winter nights fall to minus ten degrees Celsius and can stay that way for many weeks. Summer days reach plus forty, but dip mercifully to the mid teens during the nights. It is perfect for torturing the vines and coercing them into producing fruit of great complexity, fine acidity and depth of character.
Then you have the vineyard management and winemaking expertise that only comes from the collected experience of eight generations of artisan vignerons. The result – some of the finest Rosé in the world.
The Domaine Gavoty Rosés on Offer
We are delighted to offer you two stellar 2011 (a wonderful vintage in the Var) Côtes de Provence A.O.C. Rosés from Domaine Gavoty – the very good Cuvée Tradition Rosé and the sublime Cuvée Clarendon Rosé. And, to make the choice even easier, Roselyne has created the Domaine Gavoty Rosé Sampler – three delicious bottles of each of the above. They come in six-bottle cases and will be here well before summer. But, as great as these will be out on the patio or dock, they are really meant to be consumed with fine food.
2011 Domaine Gavoty Cuvée Tradition Rosé – 13.5 Alc./Vol. - $22/$132 case of 6 This medium-bodied delight is crafted from 40% Syrah, 30% Grenache and 30% Cinsault. Made using the Saignée method, (where the juice from just-crushed dark grapes sits on the skins for a few hours after a short, pre-fermentation maceration; it adds colour and flavour to the juice), the wine is lightly filtered to ensure clarity. It is a vibrant light salmon pink colour with aromas of strawberries, cherries, raspberries, minerals and spring flowers. Flavours of crisp, lively strawberries carry on in mouth that is full and voluptuous with a pleasant citrus finish. ‘Lovely stuff’, my notes say. It is drinking wonderfully right now and has the complexity to last for at least another year or two. Found in many of Europe’s finest restaurants, it goes splendidly with salads, spicy dishes and oriental cuisine – served at 10 to 12 °C. Order your divine Rosé now.
2011 Domaine Gavoty Cuvée Clarendon Rosé – 13.5 Alc./Vol. - $26/$156 case of 6 This most sophisticated wine definitely boosts Rosé to another level. Conjured up from 80% Grenache and 20% Cinsault, this vibrant, light rose coloured wine is made from the finest selection of cuvées to be found at Domaine Gavoty. It offers up subtle aromas of strawberries, raspberries, peaches, white flowers, soft exotic spices, wet pebbles and white grapefruit. It is so elegant and refined in the mouth - full, round and sumptuous with lively flavours of red fruit and soft citrus. This is the Rosé found in numerous Michelin-starred restaurants throughout Europe.
Served at 10 to 12 °C, it will snuggle up brilliantly to the finest shellfish (lobster au gratin, grilled scallops and scampi) as well as butter-fried trout, sardines, dishes with lots of garlic and fine oriental cuisine.
By the way, Bernard Gavoty was a celebrated French music critic and contributed frequently to Figaro magazine using the pen name ‘Clarendon’.
And, here’s what Robert Parker says about this wine, “The rosé smells of framboise, is quite dry, medium-bodied, very fragrant, as well as flavourful and compares admirably well to the top two rosés from Provence.”
Order your most sophisticated pink to drink now.
2011 Domaine Gavoty Cuvée Rosé Sampler – 13.5 Alc./Vol. - $24/$144 case of 6 La vie en Rosé indeed! Three bottles of the 2011 Cuvée Tradition and three bottles of the 2011 Cuvée Clarendon from Domaine Gavoty for those very special occasions when only a most sophisticated Rosé will do. Go ahead and treat yourself. Order your own six-pack of la vie en Rosé now.
Please note that the above prices include a one dollar per bottle handing fee.
Here is a little bonus for you Fred Astaire fans!
Coming Next from Arthur’s Cellar We will continue on the Rosé theme by bringing you the refreshing and always popular Terre d’Ocre Rosé from Domaine de Tara along with some of their other award winning AOC Ventoux wines.
We would be most grateful if you would pass this note on to anyone you think would be interested in some very sophisticated Rosés. Also, please invite your friends, relatives, acquaintances and casual strangers to join Arthur’s Cellar Wine Club – no annual fees or other obligations; just great wine.
Cheers!
Jim and Hélène jaswalker@arthursellers.com www.arthursellers.com hbuisson@ofrance.ca www.ofrance.ca
