An Unexpected Winning Wine In the Land Of Rosé and Wine Party Truths — A Blanc To Keep On Hand

Attending a party devoted to rosé, an annual gathering organized and hosted by a couple of individuals in the wine industry, reveals some things. This annual bash takes place in the backyard of a home in Santa Monica graced by a beautiful coast redwood tree, and serves as a reunion for many of the attendees. As well as an occasion for many there to meet people new to them.

Not everyone at the party is in the wine business, but many are. And the bottles assembled by guests are myriad and diverse, and all are rosés.

Coincidentally, I just sampled a wine from a legendary land of rosés that I liked immensely. But it’s not a rosé. It’s the 2025 Château Gassier Côtes de Provence Blanc, 100 percent vermentino made by Léa Rouyet, a Basque Country-born winemaker who’s been at Gassier since 2015.

This wine hails from Sainte-Victoire, a storied area replete with vineyards that produce elegant rosés and stellar — if underappreciated by many — white wines. Gassier harvests the wine’s fruit at night, which helps reduce oxidation. Direct and slow pressing, with minimal contact between skins and juice, gives a freshness and seductive color to the finished project. Poor soils of clay and limestone have created a wine with a rich body and energetic stellar acidity.

In the glass this wine is very light in color, and appears almost irridescent in certain light. Aromas of white stone fruit and lemon blossom dominate, followed by soft melon and minerality on the palate. This is a thoroughly refreshing wine, one that I paired with a honeydew melon and prosciutto. It would also pair well with oysters or a tuna ceviche.

This wine sells for around $20, and is a good one to always have around for when an impromptu guest stops by. I have a bottle in my refrigerator now, and look forward to opening it soon. You can find this wine here.

For more from James Brock visit Mise en Place.