Tavel & the Serious Rosés of the Southern Rhône

Most people think of rosé as a light, pale, delicate style, and then they encounter Tavel. France’s only appellation dedicated exclusively to rosé production makes wines of a completely different character: deep copper-orange color, full body, serious tannins, and an aging potential that surprises everyone who encounters it for the first time. Today’s episode covers Tavel and its neighbor Lirac, why the Southern Rhône produces such a radically different style of rosé, and why these wines deserve a permanent place in any serious wine lover’s repertoire.