Charles Joguet Chinon Rosé 2023

If Marquiliani’s vin gris blurs the limit of color where a white wine ends and a rosé begins, Joguet here is firmly on the other side of the color spectrum, within a stone’s throw from the point where a dark rosé ventures into light rouge territory. Its lush strawberry hue is warm and inviting, and it tastes every bit as full and delicious as it looks. Ripe cherries and melon you can truly sink your teeth into, and much earthier than a Provençal rosé.

Before Charles Joguet took over his family domaine in Chinon, he was a passionate painter and sculptor in Paris, retreating to a little studio in Montmartre. When his father passed away, he came to a crossroads: become a part-time vigneron among painters or a part-time painter among vignerons, and he chose the latter. The style of Joguet’s Chinon rosé has evolved over the years, and today it is crisp and bright, with bitter notes of ruby citrus, white pepper, and cherry pit. It’s the perfect wine for sipping while indulging in a long-lost, artistic pastime. Fun fact: a drawing Charles made of his mother’s historical home is featured on the label.