Rosé wine has proven itself to be suitable for consumption in all seasons. Yet, spring is the time of the year when this wine shines brightest. As softer air and sun rays sweep away the cold and wintry days, our taste buds begin to desire lighter and more refreshing beverages to usher in the spring equinox. To welcome the new season with taste and class, we suggest our notable Le Bijou de Sophie Valrose rosé. An excellent choice to embrace spring and immerse yourself in the splendid rosé season.
Le Bijou de Sophie Valrose Rosé
Our flagship rosé, Sophie Valrose, combines quality, tradition and innovation in an elegantly defined bottle. A beautiful pale, salmon-coloured rosé, with fragrant aromas of strawberries, citrus and delicate floral notes. The palate is round and creamy, with refreshing acidity and a silky-smooth finish that makes this superb rosé a perfect accompaniment with canapés, white meats, fish and salads of the season.
The inspiration for this outstanding rosé goes back to the late 19th century and the legend of Sophie Valrose. She worked in the Languedoc vineyards alongside her female peers. At the time, women were often mistreated, overworked and underpaid. Sophie stood up against this exploitation, challenging the treatment of the female workers. She became something of a local hero and a source of inspiration for creating our most renowned rosé wine. We source the grapes from low yielding, handpicked bush vines, alike those that Sophie harvested herself many years ago and pay tribute to her on the back of every bottle.
Produced minutes form the Mediterranean coast, Le Bijou de Sophie Valrose provides an instant sense of place. Its grapes are sourced in the Coteaux de Béziers, a small sub-region in Western Languedoc. Here the vineyards benefit from several characteristics that this small region, with its unique micro-climate, has to offer. The vineyards in this area embrace cool off-shore winds, locally known as the Cers. These winds provide a means of natural humidity during the hot Southern French summers. They also deposit an array of sea salts and minerals into the soils, enhancing the beautiful saline finish on the rosé and white wines from this region. Another significant element that differentiates this wine is the accuracy in the choice of its varieties. The blend includes Caladoc; a crossing of Grenache and Malbec with unique characteristics. This variety is particularly resistant to drought and mildew, a very desirable attribute in a changing climate. Moreover, Caladoc offers a flavour profile similar to Grenache, adding more depth and floral notes to the wine. Finally, sustainability is a core part of Bijou’s production. Our growers in the Coteaux de Béziers achieved the HEV Level 3 certification in December 2019 (High Environmental Value). Bijou has also prioritized a lighter bottle (440g) to minimize their transport emissions.
