Château d’Esclans The Palm by Whispering Angel Rosé 2017 Provence, France 75cl

Château d’Esclans made its name with Whispering Angel, one of the wines that turned Provence rosé into a global category and reset expectations for the style. The Palm sits below it as the estate’s more relaxed, everyday expression, carrying the same house signature at an easier price.

This is a dry Provençal rosé in the pale, delicate mould the region is known for. It is built for freshness and drinkability rather than power or weight, keeping the gentle red-fruit character and light touch that define serious Provence pink and separate it from deeper, fruitier styles elsewhere.

From the 2017 vintage, the wine shows the crisp, light-bodied profile you would expect of a Provence rosé made for early drinking. These are wines to enjoy for their freshness, so it is best approached as a wine to open rather than to keep.

Expect a pale, barely-there blush colour and aromas of strawberry, redcurrant and a touch of citrus. The palate is dry and light, with a clean, refreshing finish and no heaviness. Serve it thoroughly chilled, and give a large glass a gentle swirl to lift the aromatics.

If you like Whispering Angel or the wider Côtes de Provence style, The Palm is a friendly, dependable way in. It is ideal as an aperitif on a warm day and pairs happily with green salads, grilled fish, prawns and lighter Mediterranean plates. As an easy-going, crowd-pleasing pink, it also earns its place at a summer lunch, a picnic or a garden gathering where the wine simply needs to be fresh and welcoming.