'the most exciting vintage in living memory'

Why Charles Bieler is delighted with his 2022 Sabine Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence rosé it was the rosé that stole their hearts. Routas was sold in 2005 but Bieler Père et Fils was founded, with rosé the shining star.

Charles’ lifelong passion for rosé is now decades deep. At a time when rosé was slightly unfashionable, he crossed the USA in a pink Cadillac promoting the Routas rosé, building a loyal fanbase.

Bieler Père et Fils has amassed an impressive collection of top scores and favourable critical reviews, with 90 points awarded between 2019 and 2021.

Sabine Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Rosé 2022 is a delicious expression of this stunning vintage.

I am the founder and Chief Rosé Drinker of Cala Falcone, which I officially launched in 2020 in a misguided attempt to turn my life into a Slim Aarons catalogue. I have yet to achieve the Slim Aarons lifestyle, but I did manage to create a rather good rosé.

For me, Puglia is the most beautiful place in Italy. Every time I go down and I see the red earth, the olive trees, the stone walls … I feel genuinely at peace. It’s not polished, it’s raw. It’s true Italy for me.

I’ve been summering in Puglia every year since I was 18. My best friend’s parents bought a rugged piece of land with several trulli on the hills near Monopoli and turned it into their retirement project. They turned this run down piece of land into the most incredible masseria, making their own wine, olive oil, honey and vegetables. I truly fell in love with Puglia and the Italian way of life.

I always knew Cala Falcone was going to be a rosé. I love rosé. I love what it represents. It’s summer in a bottle, it’s good times with people you love, it’s the sea, it’s blue skies, it’s carefree. Its qualities match perfectly with my experience of Puglia, which happens to have a long history with making rosé too.

It was clear from the beginning that it should be made in Puglia, but I wanted to give it a modern interpretation. Super light, not too acidic, easily consumed without food. Beverino, as they say in Italy.

We use a method of growing grapes called vite ad alberello, which dates back over 2,500 years to the early Romans and Greeks and has remained unchanged since. The vines are grown as nature intended, as small bushes whose leaves protect the grapes from the harsh climate. It doesn’t get much more low-intervention than that! This method is naturally lower yielding and inherently more sustainable than modern viticulture processes, so we only make 5,000 bottles every year.

Negroamaro is a very light, gentle grape, contrasting with the intensity of Primitivo. We tried various blends starting with 100% Negroamaro, but as we directly press our grapes, it was too light, lacking in character. Once we added the 25% Primitivo, which gave structure and body without overpowering the Negroamaro, the whole thing came to life. It was the result of about three years of experimentation before we found the right balance.

If we could summarise the winemaking philosophy behind Cala Falcone, it’s il futuro ha un cuore antico – “the future has an ancient heart”.

On the back of our bottle we have a little quote for our would-be customers: “For those who question why, who chase the unknown, the curious and rebellious. Here’s to you.” It’s always scary going against the grain. Mass-market rosés are the safe bet because no one will complain, but they won’t necessarily be happy either.

Cala Falcone is a rosé that, if you have it in your fridge, if you pull it out at a dinner, people will ask you about it. The head sommelier of 10 Corso Como in Milan does most of his sales of Cala simply because guests will see another table with this beautiful bottle and want to try it. All it takes is a customer willing to try something different – to discover something amazing.

Cala Falcone Rosato (RRP £25.95)

On the nose, there’s white peach, watermelon and hibiscus. The classic fruitiness of the Negroamaro grapes comes through gracefully. You think it’s going to be sweet, but it’s so beautifully dry.

On the palate it is crisp and fresh. It has a balanced acidity that presents as grapefruit – my favourite part. There’s a long, clean finish.