Clos Cibonne: Cru Classé rosé

'Readers who haven't tasted these wines before owe it to themselves to do so.' - Billy Norris, vinous.com, June 2026

It may seem odd to be offering Provençal rosé at the end of October, but the wines of Clos Cibonne are no ordinary Côtes de Provence. The estate has around 15 hectares of vines about 800m from the coast, not far from Toulon.

In 1804 the Roux family purchased part of the larger Château Cibon estate (named for Jean-Baptiste de Cibon, a captain in the French royal navy who had served under the Marquis de Lafayette in the American Revolution, and who fled the French Revolution in 1793) - they had farmed the vineyards for many years prior. The first wines were produced by the second generation, Marius, under the name Château Cibon, but it was André Roux who, taking over in 1930, would set the course for the future. He changed the name on the bottles to Clos Cibonne, created the labels they still use today and, most impactfully, replanted almost all of their vineyards to a grape which was falling out of fashion at the time, Tibouren.

Tibouren is a red grape variety which, while it was historically important in Provence, was almost lost due to phylloxera. Most growers chose not to replant it, as it produced low yields, uneven ripening and required a great deal of work in the vineyard. However, its potential for quality was clear and the wines of the estate gained great prestige, to the point that Clos Cibonne was named as a Cru Classé in the Provençal classification of 1955.

The other great point of difference is in the winemaking: the current (fifth) generation in charge of the estate, Olivier Deforge and his sister Caroline, maintain ancient foudre, 2000- to 5000-litre barrels, some of which are over 100 years old. The wine is not topped up, allowing fleurette, a thin layer of flor yeast, to develop. The effect is minimal on so large a barrel, but it, along with the genteel oxidation provided by 12-18 months ageing in such large vessels, adds to the unique character of these wines. Finally, like those of Domaine Tempier in Bandol, the rosé wines of Clos Cibonne have an impressive potential for ageing in the bottle. /JH

Offered subject to remaining unsold. Wines available winter 2026/2027.To place an order, click on the wines below or call 020 7638 5998