Clos Cibonne Tibouren Rosé Vignettes 2023
(90% Tibouren, 10% Grenache)
CRITICAL ACCLAIM:
“Pale copper with restrained aromas of thyme flowers and wild fennel. On the palate, this restraint opens up to an explosion of ripe stone fruit, bruised peaches and apricots, some raspberry fruit and a hint of rhubarb acidity. Pomegranates and rosehips appear on the mid-palate, with barely there tannic grip and a gentle, almost gravelly acidity. The finish is long, intense, and lightly peachy with a subtle salinity. Very classy, moreish, and delivering classic Provence with an upmarket twist.” - 93 PTS, DECANTER (03/2025)
“This is rosé in a different dimension. Weighty, dark and complex, with concentration to the juicy, dense notes of kumquat, tangerine and melon. Salt, tobacco and toasted sandalwood add savory tones to the round, rich palate, and red tea tannins make for a structured frame. Delicious now, but a few years in the cellar will bring even more complexity. Tibouren and Grenache. Drink now through 2028.” - 93 PTS, WINE SPECTATOR (08/2025)
IMPORTER NOTES:
OVERVIEW: "Clos Cibonne’s iconic Cuvée Spéciale des Vignettes stands uniquely apart from other rosés as a classic, one-of-a-kind Côtes de Provence rosé featuring the tibouren grape in the lead role. Legendary amongst experienced French wine collectors for its texture, substance, and ability to age gracefully for a decade or more, Cuvée Spéciale des Vignettes is aged under fleurette (a thin veil of yeast, similar to the process in Sherry or Jura wines) in 120-year-old, 5,000L foudres for one year. Clos Cibonne crafts a wine that is completely it’s own through combining a rare grape with a unique aging process.
Cuvée Spéciale des Vignettes is a limited wine, a selection made exclusively of the estate’s oldest, over 60-year-old organic tibouren grapes. Vignettes is often the longest-lived of the Cibonne cuvées, repaying 10+ years of cellar time. The vineyard, one of 18 Crus Classés of Côtes de Provence, consists of traditional goblet trained vines located close to the Mediterranean Sea in the foothills of the Maures mountains, overlooking Toulon’s harbor.
The microclimate of Clos Cibonne is especially important to the uniqueness of the wines, as the proximity of the ocean brings much-needed cool air to the vineyards in the summer months. Their location at the foot of the Maures mountains ensures good east-west ventilation, which is ideal for the health and balance of the vineyard and ideal for the practice of organic viticulture. The resulting wines have impeccable balance & freshness, with incredible structure and superb drinkability."
VINIFICATION: “After an early morning manual harvest, the grapes are destemmed and directly pressed. The must goes into temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, which are cooled to slow the fermentation process. After fermentation with indigenous yeasts, the wines are racked into over 120-year-old foudres, where they age on the fine lees for one year under a thin veil of fleurette.”