Tavel 'La Nymphe', Guillaume Gonnet 2023

Tavel is unique among the villages of the Southern Rhône as it is the only one where only rosé is permitted to be made, and some of the world's best it is too. Whereas with many rosés around the world consumers opt for the latest, youngest vintage available, with Tavel you have a serious wine with proper ageing potential. Working biodynamically this delicious Tavel from Guillaume Gonnet Vigneron is a classic Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault blend made from 25 year old vines. Pronounced fresh red fruit aromas lead onto a dry weighty and rounded palate with those strawberry, red cherry, nectarine, peach and watermelon fruit flavours coming through. Great, balanced acidity and a really long finish. This is a really moreish rosé that will absolutely put a smile on your face.

Although it has the ability to age and mature a few years it really is pretty good right as well. A versatile wine with food, try with salads and barbecues, pasta, goats cheese or simply with freshly cut melon or just on its own.

The energetic and charismatic Guillaume Gonnet is not your average Rhône winemaker. Extremely open in his attitude, his curious, boundary challenging approach extends beyond wine. He travelled to the far ends of the earth, revelling in the opportunity to surf some of the best waves in the world while learning his craft in various Australian and New Zealand regions. Returning to the Rhône, now with his Australian wife Kelly, Guillaume has shown similar energy for his family estate and for his own project. This land locked surfer may be miles from the ocean but is happily riding the wave of newfound enthusiasm for Grenache based wines. Pursuing biodynamics wherever possible, allowing his fruit to express itself freely through hands-off winemaking and displaying his fascination for the varying soils of the Rhône through his diverse range of wines, he's just the sort of restless creative always on the lookout for improvement.