Ch. d'Oupia Minervois Rose

Getting there... I drove to Minervois in January. 3BOTTLES subscribers will remember sketches of this journey from our Languedoc collection. Much of the landscape seems timeless: sheep wandering across the narrow roads, stone farmhouses, ruined terraces, white rock and wild herbs everywhere. A scrubby, stony, stark and beautiful place in the harsh January sunlight.

The estate... The history of Chateau d’Oupia defines the challenges of quality-driven farming in a region that for many generations made vast amounts of undifferentiated wine. The Iche family make wines with care and craft. They make the most vital and difficult type of wine to find: wine for everyday use that does not taste like a compromise. This rose is a real success. Until you multiply the price 2x or 3x I do not see serious competition for it on store shelves qualitatively. I prefer it to almost all pink wines under $20.

Pair with... A bare minimum of effort is required to create suitable food, a dinner even, to shovel down along with heavy glasses of Oupia rose. I’d made crostini with chevre, rosemary, tapenade or drizzled olive oil. Or sardines! I’d definitely recommend your favorite fish both poached in and served with Chateau d’Oupia. Include some fennel or dill and lemon or orange zest in the poaching liquid. You cannot fail.