Whispering Angel Rosé, Château d'Esclans, Provence 2023 (9 litre salmanazar)

"So with the world waiting with an ice bucket and glass in hand, how good is the first taste of 2022 Whispering Angel? I am relieved to report that the unbroken run of excellence is still intact, but there is more. This is the first vintage of Whippy that actually seems actively youthful and taut. While it normally hits the ground running, with pliable fruit and welcoming freshness, this crisp, expressive wine is firm, tense, energetic, and utterly ravishing. The rose petal nose, melon flesh silkiness, and grapefruit acidity are all in place, and they are layered, glisteningly attractive, and immediately impressive, but this 2022 vintage is different from previous vintages because it nips in on the finish promising more drama as it relaxes and billows over the next six months. So, take it from me, that while this is already a cracker, I know that come May, right on cue, it will have even more glamour and allure on the nose, palate, and finish! This is the very first time I have added a + to my score below because this is the symbol I use, across all of my wine writing, to indicate that a wine will improve and evolve with age! Who would have thought that Whispering Angel would be such a wine?"

"It is the usual blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Rolle, made in stainless steel from a very careful selection of fruit. Such a delicate perfume: rose-hip and pot-pourri, fresh red berries, juiciness of watermelon. On the palate it is dry and refined, the red berries hint at tartness to make the mouth water, the wine finishing with shimmering, elegant acidity."