2016 Clos Cibonne Tibouren Côtes de Provence Cuvée Spéciale des Vignettes

Community Tasting Notes (18) Avg Score: 90.6 points

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  6/8/2022 - forceberry wrote: 91 Points

  A rosé wine made either entirely or mostly (+90%) from organically farmed Tibouren (aka. Rossese di Dolceacqua) with a little bit of Grenache in the blend, vintage permitting. The wine is fermented spontaneously in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, after which the lots are blended and moved to age in very old (100-120 yo) 1000-liter oak casks, in which the wine is aged under a thin yeast voile called fleurette for a minimum of 12 months. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
  
  Pale peachy rosy-yellow color. Juicy yet more savory and spicy rather than sweet nose with a faint hint of skunky reduction, which blows off to reveal aromas of fresh apple, some earthy spices, a little bit of creamy character suggesting oak aging, light peachy tones and a hint of golden currants. The wine is dry, balanced and clean on the palate with a silky smooth texture, a medium body and flavors of fresh white fruits, some crunchy red apple, a little bit of ripe gooseberry, light creamy tones, a mineral hint of wet stones and a touch of savory spices. The high acidity lends good sense of firmness and structure to the wine. The finish is fresh, long and mouth-cleansing with dry flavors of ripe red apple, some savory spice, a little bit of white peach, light stony mineral tones, a hint of ripe gooseberry and a touch of dried herbs.
  
  A very tasty, balanced and enjoyably structured rosé that is relatively aged for a Provençal rosé, yet comes across as still wonderfully youthful and precise for its age. Most likely this wine will continue to evolve until its 10th birthday, and then keep just fine for years more. What's interesting here is that even if the Cibonne rosés are said to age under a thin yeast fleurette, the wines don't exhibit any of those aldehydic nuances typically associated with wines aged sous voile. On the contrary, I immediately thought the wine was obviously a Provençal rosé, albeit not a typical, easy-drinking rosé normally associated with Provence. Due to the savory, somewhat spicy and quite structure-driven nature of the wine and the subtly creamy nuances suggesting oak aging, I guessed this was a Bandol rosé from the lighter end of the spectrum. Close, but no cigar; yes, this was from Provence, but Bandol is some 25 km / 15 miles away from Clos Cibonne and the spicy notes came from Tibouren, not Mourvèdre. Oh well, at least I was in the ballpark!

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  6/28/2021 - ey1294 wrote: 94 Points

  - Orange color with slow forming legs. It's balanced with a light/medium body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Excellent rose from Provence. Maybe one of the best, our favorites.

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  1/22/2021 - lightning wrote: 92 Points

  White nectarine, nectarine pits, stones and minerality.  Medium plus bodied, rich in texture, slightly oily, fine acid underneath.  Very impressive and long.

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  7/24/2020 - portman63 Likes this wine: 91 Points

  A lighter salmon color and a little lighter on the palate than I am used to with these. However, still with great minerality and strawberry on nose and in the mid-palate and the telling slight maderized quality that I like in these. Clean finish for a really nice summer evening wine.

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  4/24/2020 - La Randonnee Likes this wine:

  Lovely parfum and floral aromas, surprisingly fresh and fruity for its age. Did not find any nutty notes, was fresh light fruit flavors on the palate, acid in check/nicely balanced and refreshing. Noting Diam 10 used - on a rose! Would definitely buy this; Thanks Joel for sharing.

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