delicious Australia — November 2017

A love of rosé leads Shannon Harley to the South

of France, where she finds herself truly in the pink

amid the world’s largest wine-producing region.

LA VIE EN ROSÉ

FRANCE’S LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON region, nestled in the sultry south of the
country with the Mediterranean coastline to the east and the Pyrenees to the west,
is rosé ground zero. Lounging in the shade of an olive tree, surrounded by grapevines,
beads of condensation slip down my wine glass as bees dance above the rim, buoyed
by the warm Sirocco wind. It may seem as though I am wearing rosé-tinted glasses, but
this is no romantic scene from a Victor Hugo novel. Rather, it is a real-time snapshot of
a late summer’s afternoon at Domaines Paul Mas, one of the biggest wine producers
in the region. I take a sip of the pink-hued drink; it’s refreshing, crisp and fruity – the
perfect foil to the dry heat of the day and perhaps the reason rosé has become the
symbol of summer in Australia. It’s little different here; one in every four bottles
consumed in France is of this variety, and here in rosé heartland, I can appreciate
why – the wine perfectly captures the untamed beauty of the country’s wild south.
“Inspired by the New World attitude, I am proud to work the unique terroirs of
the Languedoc to create wines that inspire real emotions,” says Jean-Claude Mas,
the handsome, sun-tanned Frenchman who revamped the centuries-old Domaines

Paul Mas 17 years ago. Today, he runs an empire of 12 estates planted with 40 grape
varieties sold through eight labels.
Terroir is that slippery concept that makes French wines inimitable anywhere else in
the world, and Mas describes it as a golden ratio of four elements: “soil, climate, vines
and the man himself who orchestrates it all”. In every glass, we are literally drinking in
the Languedoc landscape, from the fun and frivolous Arrogant Frog Syrah Rosé with
ripe cherry and strawberry flavours to put in the Esky for beach picnics, to the elegant
Astélia Rosé Pastel to sip with a plate of chargrilled asparagus.
Australia is one of the brand’s top export markets; no surprise considering our similar
climate and love of fresh flavours. Mike Bennie, delicious.’s resident booze expert, says
rosé has us blushing because it “does well on our beaches and by our pools. It’s a match
made in heaven for brunch and lunch, our love of Mediterranean and Asian cuisine.”
But we can drink rosé by the pool or beach any time. What is far less prosaic is sitting
in a French vineyard at Restaurant Côté Mas in Montagnac with a plate of salmon
gravlax and glass of rosé. If you’re buckling in for the degustation, book a roomy
villa on the estate and wake up to your café au lait by the pool or under the fig tree.
The latest addition to the Paul Mas empire is a converted moulin, or water mill,
on the banks of the Hérault River. This luxe accommodation in the medieval town of
Pézenas is all French provincial chic inside with nothing but the gentle hum of nature
outside. It is here, spending another afternoon reclining in a perfectly weathered
wrought iron chair, lulled by the sound of gently flowing water and the occasional
bird call, that I hold my wineglass to the sky and see la vie en rosé.
To book the moulin, visit pierresdhistoire.com. RECIPE

PHOEBE WOOD

FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

NIGEL LOUGH

STYLING

KIRSTEN JENKINS

MERCHANDISING

EMMALY STEWART

@misspamplemousse

PINK PEPPERCORN ROSÉ SALMON

WITH BAY OIL AND GOAT’S CURD

SERVES 8-10

Begin this recipe 2 days ahead.

2 tbs pink peppercorns

12 bay leaves

250g rock salt

175g demerara sugar

(^1) / 2 cup (125ml) rosé
(^1) / 2 bunch thyme
1.2kg skinless salmon fillet, pin-boned
1 cup (250ml) extra virgin olive oil
150g goat’s curd
Thinly sliced sourdough and picked
watercress, to serve
Place peppercorns and half the bay leaves
in a frypan over low heat. Toast, shaking
the pan, for 3-4 minutes until toasted and
fragrant. Let cool, then remove leaves and
set aside. Using a mortar and pestle,
roughly crush peppercorns. Transfer to a
bowl with salt, sugar, rosé, thyme and bay
leaves, and stir to combine.
Line a large, high-sided tray with plastic
wrap. Pour half the salt mixture into the
tray and lay salmon on top. Coat salmon in
remaining salt mixture. Cover salmon well
with plastic wrap and chill for 24 hours. The
next day, turn the salmon, making sure it is
still well coated in the salt mixture. Chill for
a further 24 hours to finish curing.
Place oil and remaining bay leaves in a
small saucepan over low heat for 5 minutes,
bringing oil to just below a simmer.
Remove from heat and cool completely.
Transfer to a blender and whiz to combine,
then strain oil through a fine sieve into a
bowl. Store, covered, until ready to use.
The next day, brush the salt mixture from
the salmon with paper towel and thinly
slice. Serve salmon with bay oil, goat’s
curd, sourdough and watercress.
“WE ARE LITERALLY DRINKING IN THE
LANGUEDOC LANDSCAPE.”
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