Wine. Wine is the regularly scheduled programming of Side Hustle Wino. If you are reading this, you probably agree that wine is not only present during celebrations of life, but also during difficult times. Whether toasting to a new birth, or the death of a loved one, or even just an awesome day, or one you’re particularly glad is over, wine is something that I have always appreciated in conjunction with the tapestry of my life.

That is until June 27th when my husband suffered a stroke. It wasn’t until the third week of this journey, after he had been moved to an inpatient rehabilitation unit and I was sleeping at home regularly, that I tried to have a glass of wine. It just didn’t work. The minute I felt the slightest affects, it caused intense anxiety. The world had been turned upside down for us and I was trying to process too much information. Taking the edge off, didn’t help. Not thinking 100% clearly and being 100% on my toes was a not something that felt good. And what if John needed something? Relaxation was neither possible, nor welcome.

All that to say that not many bottles of wine have been opened around here over the Summer of 2024. It has only been the past few weeks where I feel comfortable and relaxed having a glass of wine. This is a relief, because I am after all Side Hustle Wino. I finally feel reasonably assured that John is getting better not worse. His recovery has been miraculous and I am even thinking that at some point in the future John will be able to join me in a glass of wine and we will once again enjoy the “culture” of wine that we so love.

So what have I enjoyed? This Roseblood rose from Provence for sure.

Roseblood|Chateau d’Estoublon|12.5 % ABV|$23.99

Cheateau d’Estoublon was purchased in 2020 by an “A” List” group of people who would be welcome on nearly any guest list int he world. Former French President and First Lady of France, Nicolais Sarkozy and “Carla Bruni – also a singer and model. Stephane Courbet, hotelier, and owner of the famous macaron company Laduree, and Jean-Guillaume Prats. Prats brings the wine credibility. Bordeaux lineage. Born into the 2nd state growth estate Cos d’Estournel, which he led for years, he left Cos d’Estournel in 2013 to become CEO of LVMH’s fine wine portfolio. Then he landed right back in Bordeaux as CEO of Château Lafite-Rothschild. An interesting group to say the least.

The first time I ever visited Europe was on a trip to France and not only was Nicolais Sarkozy president, I was lulled into a beautiful trance on a rainy day bus ride from Avignon to Paris by Carla Bruni. So much so that I bought her CD at shop in Paris. The former First Couple hold a spot in my special memories of life, so when I discovered they were involved in this wine, of course I had to try it.

Still, I had some skepticism. Provence is not Bordeaux. Celebrity wines are not known for their greatness. Roseblood’s ethos is to represent the best wine the region has to offer, to make Chateau d’Estoublon represent rarity in quality and luxury in everything they offer: accommodations, fine dining, wine, and of course the olive oil for which they are already famous.

Overseeing all aspects of the winemaking, Technical Director, Victor Joyeux (which how great is that name?), was brought on board. He has been winemaker at Cloudy Bay in New Zealand for the last 8 years, and has held assistant winemaker roles at Terrazas de los Andes and Cheval des Andes in Mendoza, all LVMH holdings. Lots of connections at Chateau d’Estoublon to LVMH.

The property’s history dates back to 1489 when it was purchased by the Grille family, nobility of the nearby Arles region. The original building was destroyed by war and the current Chateau d’Estoublon was constructed in the 17th century and its first products were olive oil. The olive oil was awarded the world’s best olive oil designation in 2022 and 2023. Having visited Les Baux twice, I wonder if I have ever gazed out over the olive groves responsible for the world’s best olive oil? More importantly, how did not I know this? I love olive oil nearly as much as I love wine!

Speaking of vintages, I am completely unable to tell you for sure what vintage this bottle I opened was. I logged it into cellartracker as 2021, but in researching the wine, it appears that while 2021 was the first vintage of Roseblood, it was not exported to the United States until the 2023 vintage. I purchased the bottle at Total Wine in June and unfortunately, there is no record of the vintage on my purchase history.

I checked the store’s current inventory and it is indeed 2023, but the price has also gone up to $27.99. I paid $23.99 for mine, so I have to wonder did I purchase the earlier vintage at a lower price, or if, like everything else, the price has just gone up 15% since June? The higher price puts this bottle in different category doesn’t it? I don’t think too awful much about a wine priced under $25 but I do consider with greater scrutiny those above that price point.

The 2021 blend was 50% Grenache, 45% Cinsault, and 5% Tibouren. The blend remained the same for the 2022 vintage, but changed in 2023 to include Syrah and Rolle, with the elimination of Tibouren. This makes my lack of knowledge over which vintage even worse, but I have to presume my bottle was the 2023 if it truly was not imported before then.

The grapes for this wine are grown in Coteaux Varois, literally the hillsides of the Var region of Provence, between 11,000-16,00 feet of elevation. Coteaux Varois is known for having hotter summers and colder winters that the rest of the region, a continental climate despite the proximity to the Mediterranean.

The grapes undergo cold fermentation in stainless steel and cement, spend a few weeks on the lees, which explains the creamy mouthfeel I noticed.

The creaminess in no way detracted from the mouth watering acidity of this wine, and complemented the crunchy minerality perfectly.

I got stone fruit and a slight floral note, and salinity. Due to the fact that I am drinking solo these days, I drank this bottle over several days and enjoyed it most with a truffle cheese, followed closely by sipping it with nothing at all.

I really enjoyed this wine. Have you tried Roseblood? Or other celebrity wines? I’d love to hear about it.