Memories of Provence with Hecht & Bannier Côtes de Provence Rosé

April is the time I scour my favorite publishing houses to discover what I want to read each summer. It’s hard to whittle my to-be-read list down. I always look forward to Daniel Silva and his Gabriel Allon series, anything by Emma Straub and Jane Green. This summer isn’t any different. I am on various pre-order lists from Amazon and the library.

For me, when I’m home in the summer there isn’t anything better than sitting on the porch, reading a book, relaxing, and drinking wine. It’s how I center myself from all the traveling. A few years ago I traveled to Provence for a yoga retreat and tasted amazing rosés with depth, refined elegance, and range. They were brands not readily available in the U.S. and the memory of those wines with fellow yogis, sitting outside, surrounding by lush green gardens are some of my fondest memories.

Each year I try and recreate that feeling at home. At the time of my Provence visit I didn’t know about Hecht & Bannier wines. I only discovered their wines last year and I am patiently waiting to pour their Côtes de Provence Rosé on my patio this year. Their rose is a sublimely crafted blend of Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah. The blend lends itself to a particular minerality due to its proximity to the Mediterranean. There is a lush saltiness that comes through. It pairs well with raw oysters or my favorite combination of foie gras, course grain mustard, and a crusty French baguette. I may not be back in Provence until next summer, but until next time I will enjoy wine memories with Hecht & Bannier.