60 Days of Rosé | #06 | Famille Lafage Miraflors Rosé | France – Roussillon – Côtes Catalanes | $16.99

The pink ‘n pale Lafage Miraflors rosé in a frosted bottle will grab the attention of your eyes, and the flavor will grab the full attention of your palate.

We adore this French rosé for under $20.  Refreshing & bright, Miraflors can be enjoyed by itself or with some of your favorite spring/summer fare.

From europeancellars.com

Named after an old estate located in the heart of Domaine Lafage, Mas Miraflors, the Miraflors Rosé is sourced from old vines of Grenache Gris, nearing 80 years old, planted near the Mediterranean. Added to this is some Mourvedre that Jean-Marc planted here about 15 years ago. This a direct press rosé with the color coming from the skins of the pink Grenache Gris berries, and naturally, from the much darker Mourvedre. It is aged in tank for 4 months before bottling.

Famille Lafage Miraflors Rosé

• Location | Roussillon, France
• Appellation | Côtes Catalanes
• Size / Elevation | 160 hectares / 50-400 meters
• Variety | Mourvedre, Grenache Gris
• Age of Vines | 15-75
• Farming | Practicing organic
• Soil | Alluvial gravel
• Altitude | 15-25 meters
• Fermentation | Hand harvested, direct press, fermented in tank
• Aging | 4 months in tank

 For well over a decade we have worked with Jean-Marc Lafage at his estate in the Roussillon, and across the border in Spain where he consults on several projects. As good as his wines were, when we first met him, they only get better with each vintage. When we first made his acquaintance in Calatayud, he suggested we visit his estate in the Roussillon and the rest, as they say, is history.

Jean-Marc and Eliane Lafage farm 160 hectares of vines located just south of the capital of French Catalonia, Perpignan. Some of their vineyards are situated a few kilometers from the Mediterranean while others can be found in the foothills of the Pyrenees. This range of sites allow them to make both refreshing whites as well as concentrated reds and, this being the Roussillon, some fortified wines as well. Benefiting from a warm, dry climate, the estate is farmed organically.

They grow primarily Grenache (Blanc, Gris & Noir), Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan, Marsanne, Roussanne and Chardonnay with a significant proportion of the vines well over 50 years old. The soil, as you near the coast is weathered, alluvial gravel while in the higher elevation sites it is predominantly schist. They harvest by hand and the winemaking is surprisingly uncomplicated with stainlesss steel for the fresher whites but mostly concrete tanks for the rest with a small amount of French oak demi-muids.

Named after an old estate located in the heart of Domaine Lafage, Mas Miraflors, the Miraflors Rosé is sourced from old vines of Grenache Gris, nearing 80 years old, planted near the Mediterranean.

Added to this is some Mourvedre that Jean-Marc planted here about 15 years ago. This a direct press rosé with the color coming from the skins of the pink Grenache Gris berries, and naturally, from the much darker Mourvedre. It is aged in tank for 4 months before bottling.