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 Rosé is a summer classic. The fleshy wines spread over the pink colour scheme often from Provence and Champagne can though also be enjoyed during the cold winter months.

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 Sacha Lichine has with Patrick Leon created a serious rosé, Garrus, made of 80 year old Grenache and Rolle vines from vineyards in Provence, only half an hour away from St. Tropez.

 Produced using both barrel maturation and sur lie (on the lees, a method often performed on whites from Bourgogne, adds extra complexity and a creamy texture). 2nd wine Les Clans is on the menu. Let us see what all the fuzz is about…

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 Sacha Lichine is a significant character of Bordeaux, also running the Bordeaux Negociant business Borvin.

 His 2006 acquisition in Provence Chateau D’Esclans was made with firm dedication to innovate the production side of Rosé, aiming to make the world’s finest Rosé. Being sold at prices around the finer examples from Chassagne-Montrachet of Bourgogne; his rosés are definitely among the world’s priciest.

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 Guy Charlemagne can regard themselves among the best producers in Champagne.

 Despite their modest size of only 15 hectares most of their vineyards in Les Mesnil-sur-Oger are classified as Grand Cru vineyards.

 Their Rosé is made of 100% Pinot Noir grapes from Sézanne, rougly 30 km south west of Épernay.

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Soft rays dragging dramatic shadows in the late afternoon.

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 Significant difference in the colours of the two wines. The near clear Les Clans reveals its minimum contact to the grape skins. Moreover is the Guy Charlemagne Rosé initially very dominated by the yeast on its nose.

 Les Clans’ scents and flavours reminisces more a white wine from Bourgogne than any Rosé I have ever sampled from Provence. Sure it is due to the production techniques that are similar to the ones used in Bourgogne, benefiting the ending wines with extreme richness and delicate creamy textures. An extremely delicious wine!

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Small bites of cod and salmon accompanies the two extravagant Rosés.

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Salmon tartar marinated in lemon juice and white wine vinegar.

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 Salmon sautéed in a layer of poppy seeds (using egg whites) and dressed with chives.

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 Salmon skins roasted crispy in the oven (To avoid it from curling up, roast it between two trays in greaseproof paper).

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 Home made “fish fingers” of the tail of a cod, seasoned with lemon zest, thyme and salt. Try adding beer to your batter, will make the fish fingers crispier.

 Served with home made mayonnaise seasoned with lemon juice (no doubt the egg yolks were organic, with such an intense colour).

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 Cod is steamed, dressed with fried Parma ham, and flavoured with Porcini salt (just as Jamie Oliver inspired many to make salts using eg. lemon zest, you can make original salts with pretty much anything with a pestle & mortar or just using a fine blender).