In the glass
Aroma: yellow peach, lemon zest, almond, vanilla cream
Palate: apricot, blood orange, saline, praline
The Esclans flagship and benchmark for ultra-premium Provencal rose. Grenache from 80-year-old vines, fermented and aged in mostly new 600-litre demi-muids. Dense, structured and built to age.
What it pairs with
-
White truffle pasta
Garrus' nutty oak texture and saline finish frame white truffle without overpowering it; the wine has the body to handle butter-bound pasta. -
Roast turbot with brown butter
Garrus' almond and praline register matches the nuttiness of brown butter; saline depth handles the fish. -
Lobster bisque
Rich shellfish soup finds a peer in the wine's body and wax-almond texture. -
Aged Comte with walnut bread
Hard cow's-milk cheese and nut-laced bread align with the wine's praline-vanilla palate.
History
Garrus was launched in 2006 as the flagship of Esclans' rose pyramid, made from 80-year-old Grenache vines on the estate's upper-slope parcels. The cuvee is fermented and aged in mostly new 600-litre demi-muids over 10 to 11 months and helped establish the category of ultra-premium Provencal rose.
- 2006 — First vintage of Garrus released
Facts
- Producer
- Chateau d'Esclans
- Grapes
- Grenache, Rolle
- Classification
- AOC Cotes de Provence
- Oak
- Fermentation and aging in 600-litre demi-muids (mostly new), with batonnage over 10 to 11 months
- ABV
- 14.0%
- Price
- EUR 100 to 160 at retail
- Drinking window
- 3-15 from vintage
- First vintage
- 2006
- Vegan
- Yes (no animal-derived fining)
Frequently asked about Chateau d'Esclans Garrus
What does Garrus taste like?
Yellow peach, lemon zest, almond and vanilla cream on the nose; apricot, blood orange, saline and praline on the palate. Full-bodied with high acidity and a long saline finish.
When should I drink Garrus?
Drink between 3 and 15 years from vintage. The new-oak demi-muid fermentation gives the cuvee genuine long-haul cellaring potential, unusual for any rose; bottles often peak between year 5 and 10.
Is Garrus vegan?
Yes. Garrus is produced without animal-derived fining agents, though the producer does not pursue formal vegan certification.
What food pairs with Garrus?
White truffle pasta is the canonical pairing. Roast turbot with brown butter, lobster bisque and aged Comte with walnut bread are equally strong matches.
What makes Garrus the flagship?
Garrus comes from 80-year-old Grenache vines on Esclans's upper-slope parcels, with 10 to 11 months of barrel ageing in mostly new 600-litre demi-muids. The cuvee was launched in 2006 and helped open the ultra-premium Provencal rose tier.