For pure finesse, Azur Rosé 2007 ($24), the first true methode provençal rosé ever made in California, stands heads and shoulders above the rest.

With palate-stimulating natural acidity, the wine offers a stunning bouquet of sweet white-peach aromas followed by a mouthful of complex mineral and floral notes and lingering hints of watermelon and strawberry. 

This delicate rosé works equally well with a shellfish-based Bouillabaisse, or served alongside a Gouda style cheese such as Cypress Grove’s Midnight Moon with its rich brown butter flavors and caramel undertones.  

Winemaker Julien Fayard studied his craft both in Bordeaux and the Loire Valley. His wife Élan grew up in the Bay Area, and also studied in the Loire Valley. Julien’s love for classic provençal rosé is the inspiration for this limited production modern classic.