I’m going on week five of working from home and probably week three of a pretty legitimate quarantine. I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to get a little stir crazy. I miss the weekly routine, my friends and family, my CrossFit cult community, eating at restaurants, running pointless errands, paddle boarding—the list can go on and on when you’ve had time to think about everything you’re missing. Luckily, I still have wine and a sense of humor. This weekend, I “wigged out” a bit with Triennes Rosé 2018 and hung out with all my “friends.”

In 1989, two Burgundians, Jacques Seysses, founder of Domaine Dujac, and Aubert de Villaine, joined by their Parisian friend, Michel Macaux, went in search of new vineyards. They were fascinated by southern France’s potential and discovered the Domaine du Logis de Nans in the Var, north-east of Marseille. The area had a gently sloping hillside with southern exposure, a cool microclimate, and clay and limestone soils—all ideal for viticulture.

Courtesy Triennes

The estate was renamed Triennes, a reference to Triennia, the festival for Bacchus—the Greco-Roman god of wine, freedom, intoxication and ecstasy. The prefix “Tri” serving as a reminder of the three original partners.

Triennes invested heavily in its vineyards including an ambitious replanting program to recreate a healthy vineyard, with vines and rootstocks adapted to the local growing conditions. They manage the vines as naturally as possible, like by growing a cover crop every second row to help control vigor, limit erosion, and help to assimilate organic material. They are also more than 10 years into its organic conversion with Ecocert.

This Rosé is made of most Cinsault blended with Grenache, Syrah, and Merlot. The grapes were harvested at night so that the grapes are cool upon arrival in the winery. They were pressed after a few hours of skin contact and fermented at low temperature until dry.

The wine was pale pink with a hint of salmon color. The nose was fresh and floral with lots of strawberries and red raspberry. On the palate, it was dry and was light but still had some body to it, with lots of red berries and some citrus zestiness. It was delicious and my friends loved it too 😉 This would also pair wonderfully with friends IRL by a pool or on a picnic. I bought it from 305 Wines for $19.99 (bonus, they deliver locally and also ship).