Summer has, supposedly, arrived in the Cotswolds. The long, warm days transform our pubs from cosy indoor boltholes to welcoming oases, each of their respective outdoor spaces providing shade, respite and refreshment.
Whether you are watching the world go by on the terrace at The Wild Rabbit or gazing out across the Windrush valley from the garden at The Three Horseshoes, our bars are stocked and ready to serve – it’s rosé season, and our wine story is rather special.
A short hop from St Tropez along the Côte D’Azur lies the estate of Léoube, our sister winery in the heart of Provence. Situated in a protected heritage area overlooking the sea, Léoube is home to one of France’s oldest vineyards and is best known for its high-quality range of rosé wines which carry the Côtes de Provence AOC. The estate’s grapes are grown and harvested by hand using traditional artisan methods and biodynamic principles to maintain their unique, terroir-led character.
Two decades after they began farming organically in the UK, the Bamford family purchased the Léoube estate with a clear, simple philosophy: ‘local, seasonal and sustainable’. Over the last 25 years the team have been committed to agroecological practices to restore the fertile schist soils, including the removal of chemical pesticides and working alongside nature to ensure that the winemaking process does not exceed the capacity of the land. In 2011 Léoube received organic certification, and in 2020 was awarded High Environmental Value status, the highest level of environmental certification in French agriculture.
Overseen by Head Winemaker Romain Ott, the process of creating Léoube rosé mirrors their sustainable, traditional methods of farming. To avoid too much contact with the skins and stems which contain most of the naturally occurring sulphites, the grapes undergo direct pressing, a slow and delicate process to release their juice. After fermentation, the wines are rested on fine lees (tasteless yeast particles left over from fermentation that help to create rounded, silky flavours) and are naturally clarified. Daylesford’s wine boutique manager, James Welton, says: “This is the closest you can get to a completely natural wine”.
Léoube produces three organic rosé cuvées each year. The flagship Château Léoube Rosé is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Mouvèdre grapes, lees aged for around 6 months to produce a full-bodied, dry Provençal rosé considered to be one of the best in the region. Secret de Léoube blends Grenache, Cinsault and an unusual addition of Cabernet Sauvignon and is lees aged for around 9 months, creating a powerful yet balanced wine – one of our most popular choices. Léoube Collector is a limited edition blend of Grenache and Cinsault from the estate’s oldest vines and is lees aged for around a year; this pale, fruity wine epitomises the care and attention of Léoube’s winemaking.
Enjoy a chilled glass of this lovingly crafted, organic wine alongside local food from our seasonal menus.
