Demand for a paler coloured rosé posed an interesting dilemma for Boutinot’s blending experts Samantha Bailey and Guillaume Létang - how to create a pink pale enough to appeal to the eye but with all the refreshing fruit flavours expected of this reliable rosé? With an innate understanding of how to create a blend - Samantha has navigated the style of the Cuvée Jean Paul wines for the past 30 years – they sensed the answer lay first in moving from Tannat (which gives flavour but deep colour) to the popular southern French combination of Grenache and Cinsault, with a splash of Syrah. They then headed to Gascony in search of the right profile for each variety, among vineyards where they understand the local influences well. Next was applying all the expertise of white wine vinification to these three red varieties; vinifying each one separately at cool temperatures to capture the flavours and texture initially, then blending to achieve the perfect pale pink colour. This is then repeated at each bottling to give the consistent style required for a Cuvée Jean Paul wine.
