Hervé Villemade ‘Rosé’

Hervé Villemade ‘Rosé’ – sunshine and steady heat are not things that Ireland harbours an abundance of; our feet are hopelessly pointed towards a brighter summer. Thankfully, the Villemade Rosé has made a timely and raucous return. Composed this year of 80% Pineau d’Aunis and 20% Pinot Noir, we are graced with a tirelessly drinkable and electrifyingly amicable quaffer. Surging in billowing wafts from glass to nostril are delicately candied red fruits, the faintest hint of kirsch beckoning one to taste. A gentle bedrock of spice symphonises with the fresh redcurrant and raspberry, followed by a vibrant minerality. A jowl-scratching acidity leaves one salivating and satisfied, another glass is an inevitability. Crouching in the corners of near-imperceptibility is a touch of gaminess, providing joviality with an austere edge.

Situated in Cour-Cheverny and spread across three municipalities, Villemade’s winery is a haven of viticultural creativity. This is a generational estate that has grown to 25ha since Herve’s grandfather installed the initial plantings in 1939. Having completed his oenological studies, he assumed control in 1995. Neighbouring winemakers such as Lapierre and Puzelat inspired Villemade to begin experimenting with organic viticulture. He was astonished by the low-intervention purity, henceforth disregarding synthetic products, machinated harvesting and large doses of sulphur. More than two decades later, Villemade has become a household name in “le monde du vin naturel”; his cuveés express a singular purity that gently transfixes and wholly dominates.

Hervé Villemade ‘Rosé’ – a deceptively light, ultra-gluggable encapsulation of summer nights that allows pure terroir to needle through. An earthy undertone, speckled with dried coriander waves from afar behind a bustling crowd of candied fruits. It embodies ‘glou-glou’ yet piques curiosity with a sterner array of nuanced aromas. Villemade never fails to dazzle; in any case, expressing soil, vine and personality across all of his cuveés.