Wines from Le Grand Cros
Thirty years in the same soil. The same care. The same glass. Le Grand Cros has been making rosé in Provence since 1989, long before it became fashionable. The wines are complex, aromatic, and built for the table. In 2014, Decanter named L'Esprit de Provence the best rosé in Provence, the only rosé in their top 100 wines of the year. Since 2016, every vintage has placed at least one wine in Jancis Robinson's Provence top ten.
How We Make Them
Julian Faulkner took over the estate a decade after his parents bought it and has spent twenty years developing what Provence rosé can be at its finest. The focus has always been on complexity and character rather than volume. These are wines that sit comfortably at a fine dining table, not just on a summer terrace.
The vines grow across 30 hectares in the Côtes de Provence appellation, at the foot of the Massif des Maures. The upper stonier slopes, well sun-exposed with cool nights, produce the fruit for the more mineral, elegant cuvées. The land does most of the work. The cellar respects that.
The Range
Aurelia - Rosé
The flagship. A textured, smoky, generous rosé with more body and complexity than the typical Provençal style. Built for food and fine dining. In 2015, Decanter named the 2014 vintage the best rosé in the world.
L'Esprit de Provence - Rosé
From the upper stonier slopes of the estate. Dry and fruity, with raspberry, lavender, and a mineral freshness that sets it apart. Julian describes it as wine that seduces with its tenderness, elegance, and freshness. Named best rosé in Provence by Decanter, and the only rosé in their top 100 wines of the year, in effect, the best rosé in the world. A regular in Jancis Robinson's Provence top ten.
L'Esprit de Provence - White
Expressive and complex on the nose, with passion fruit, white flowers, flint, and a hint of guava. Fresh and fruity on the palate, with mid-palate fullness and a long finish of white flowers and salinity. Fine, elegant, and built to last.
L'Esprit de Provence - Red
Intense ruby with a complex nose of black fruits, green olive, earth, and stewed blackberry. Round and supple on the palate, with white pepper, integrated tannins, and a finish that is both generous and refined. Decant before serving.
La Rivale - Sparkling Rosé
Pale with vivid bubbles. A rich and generous nose of red berries, citrus, and floral notes. Creamy in texture, full for a sparkling wine, with mellow acidity and a zesty finish. Tasted blind by Andreas Larsson, Best Sommelier of the World.
Where the Wines Come From
Côtes de Provence is one of France's oldest wine appellations, and the Var sits at its heart. The estate's position at the foot of the Massif des Maures, within a classified natural reserve, gives the vines a particular character - pine woodland on the hillsides, dry stone restanque walls between the rows, and soils that have never been pushed beyond what they can give.
The wines carry all of that. Not through any particular effort. Simply because the land is looked after.
Frequently asked questions
Buy Our Wines
The full Grand Cros range is available to purchase through Faulkner Wines, the estate's dedicated wine shop. Shipping is available across the UK and internationally.
Trade and wholesale enquiries can be made directly through the estate, please contact us here.