Chanel’s Newly Launched Rosé Will Transport You To The Côte d’Azur

An August heatwave calls for a bottle of rosé – a fact Chanel has happily anticipated. The French house famously owns vineyards in the world’s most beautiful wine-producing regions, from Bordeaux to Napa – and, at the close of 2019, it acquired quite possibly its most stunning property yet: the 50-acre Domaine de L’Ile estate on Île de Porquerolles.

Set just off the Côte d’Azur, the crescent-shaped island is known for its pine forests, white sand beaches, and turquoise sea, and its typically Provençal landscapes come with a romantic history. Belgian entrepreneur François Joseph Fournier first bought the island as a wedding present for his fiancée in 1912, with his descendants remaining the caretakers of key areas of Porquerolles for the next three generations. Last year, Fournier’s grandson Sébastien Le Ber put the family estate in the care of Chanel, allowing the maison to produce wines that capture the essence of the largest of the Îles d'Hyères.

Now, Chanel’s first French Riviera vintage is here, and the wine is predictably exquisite, down to the newly designed label – which, the house explains, “pays homage to the special light that gives vibrancy to the umbrella pines, adds divine lustre to the fine sandy beaches and makes the pink heather gleam”. The grape varieties, meanwhile, were selected to express all the “distinctiveness and insularity” of the terroir by winemaker Nicolas Audebert, who also oversees Chanel’s vineyards at Chateau Rauzan Ségla, Chateau Canon and Chateau Berliquet.

Made entirely from Rolle, the refreshing Domaine de L’Ile White includes delicate notes of mint and eucalyptus offset by a touch of salinity – but it’s the Domaine de L’Ile Rosé that deserves your attention now. A vibrant blend of traditional Provençal grapes that “evokes the light and serenity” of Porquerolles, it’s designed to conjure up memories of holidays along the Côte d’Azur. What more could you ask for from a bottle of wine in 2020?