Château d'Aqueria - Tavel 2025

Stretching in a single block between Tavel and Lirac, Château d’Aqueria covers nearly 100 hectares, about two-thirds of which are vineyards and one-third woodland and garrigue. Its vineyards are set on a mosaic of terroirs: sandy-clay soils around the château, clay terraces dotted with rounded pebbles to the northeast, and limestone scree to the east. The wines combine depth, balance, and remarkable aging potential. Since its acquisition by the Guigal family three years ago, the estate has undergone a profound revival. Under the direction of Ralph Garcin, who also oversees winemaking at Château de Nalys, the restructuring efforts are already bearing fruit. The most recent vintages display greater precision, brilliance, and finesse, confirming the estate’s return to the ranks of the very best Tavel and Lirac wines.

The sandy terroir of Tavel served as the foundation for this 2025 vintage, crafted from a blend of five white and red grape varieties, half of which is Grenache. Behind a clear color with mandarin-hued highlights, it unfolds a light and lively palette of wild strawberries and raspberry jelly. Red fruit notes, accented with ginger, grow in intensity on a smooth, slightly mellow palate that displays promising structure. A rosé with character, elegance, and aging potential: everything one expects from a Tavel.

In 1919, Jean Olivier acquired the former estate of the Counts of Aqueria, centered around an 18th-century château and featuring a French-style park. His son-in-law, Paul de Bez, completely restructured the vineyard: 68 hectares in a single block, managed since 1984 by his grandsons Vincent and Bruno. This trusted producer of Lirac and Tavel wines was acquired by Guigal in 2022, thereby strengthening the company’s presence in the southern Rhône Valley.

Elegant and harmonious, Château d'Aqueria's 2025 Tavel has proven to be a great success, evoking aromas of red berries, strawberries, raspberries, and cherries, intertwined with floral notes. Medium- to full-bodied, elegant, and juicy, it is harmonious and lively, with a refined acidity on the mid-palate and a long, fragrant, and airy finish.

Bold and vibrant, it offers a delightful blend of red licorice and bitter cherry pit, interwoven with earthy notes of tobacco, hibiscus, and menthol. Robust yet elegant, its refined tannins delicately round out the finish. Excellent as a full-bodied rosé or light red, it offers a fresh acidity that pairs well with a wide variety of dishes. Grenache, Syrah, Clairette, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Bourboulenc. Enjoy now through 2029.