Domaine des Hauts Baigneux Touraine-Azay le Rideau Rose 'La Surprise'

'In 2013, longtime friends Nicolas Grosbois and Philippe Mesnier purchased 12 hectares of vines in Azay-le-Rideau, an excellent though relatively unknown terroir located a few kilometers east of Chinon. They immediately began farming all the vines organically, and set about on an ambitious project to reintroduce the wines of Azay-le-Rideau. Traditionally, Azay-le-Rideau is famous for white wines made from Chenin Blanc and rosé wines made from Grolleau and Gamay.

After Bandol, Azay-le-Rideau in the Loire Valley was the second rosé given AOC status in France in the 1930s. For tourists, it's famous for the beautiful Renaissance château, but for wine lovers, Azay-le-Rideau is known as the birth place of Grolleau, which was traditionally made into rosé. Hauts Baigneux's version comes from a single vineyard actually called "La Surprise," perhaps because of the surprisingly great wines that come from the parcel each year. It's a savory, food-friendly rosé with great depth.
Viticulture' - Importer's Notes