Caves d'Esclans, The Beach by Whispering Angel, Coteaux d'Aix en Provence, France 2021

88
Tasted by: Amy Wislocki
(at Decanter tasting suite, Paddington, London, 22 Mar 2023)
Drinking Window: 2023 - 2024
The baby brother wine to the hugely popular Whispering Angel rosé, which has become the go-to Provence pink in the same way that Cloudy Bay has become the go-to New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for a certain crowd. Production of Whispering Angel jumped from just 130,000 bottles in its first (2006) vintage to six million bottles in 2017. This less expensive incarnation is made from grapes sourced from across the Coteaux d'Aix en Provence appellation. It's a blend primarily of Grenache Blanc, Cinsault and Syrah, but also contains small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and other grapes. Just like the packaging design, the wine itself will have broad appeal, fairly commercial in style, with grapefruit citrus, melon and peach melba fruit, crisp and clean. I'd like to see a little more refinement, but it's a fun fruit salad of a rosé.
Caves d'Esclans, The Beach by Whispering Angel, Coteaux d'Aix en Provence, France 2021
Producer
Château d'Esclans
Brand
The Beach by Whispering Angel
Vintage
2021
Wine Type
Still
Colour
Red
Country
France
Region
Appellation
Coteaux d'Aix en Provence
Sweetness
Dry
Closure
Screwcap
Alcohol
12.50%
Body
Medium
Oak
Unoaked
Grapes
49% Grenache Blanc / Garnacha Blanca
13% Syrah / Shiraz