Château d’Esclans Global Brand Ambassador Alex Diard Talks Rosé Soirée 2023

Château d’Esclans,  a winemaker situated in the heart of Provence, is joining the many other fantastic East End food and wine purveyors at this year’s Dan’s Rosé Soirée.

Dan’s Papers Rosé Soirée, a celebration of rosé — the East End’s unofficial summer drink — is kicking off the Twin Forks’ unofficial start of summer on Memorial Day weekend, Sunday, May 28 at the Southampton Arts Center.

We spoke to Château d’Esclans Global Brand Ambassador Alex Diard about his path to the wine business, new industry trends, and more in the lead up to this year’s Rosé Soirée.

Château d’Esclans Global Brand Ambassador Alex Diard

How did you get in this line of work?

From an early age, I was always fascinated by all the facets of the hospitality industry, which led me to experience many sectors of the business.

Following an international culinary program in the U.S. at a classic French brasserie, I returned to Europe where I spent the summers working as an assistant captain at The Grill at Hôtel de Paris in Monte-Carlo and spent the winters in the private service sector at Le K2 in Courchevel.

Two years later, I moved to New York City to work at Chef Daniel Boulud’s flagship Restaurant, Daniel. My career kickstarted back in 2015, when I met Sacha Lichine and had the opportunity to join his team as a maître d’ at Chateau d’Esclans in Provence.

What new wine trends are you seeing?

It’s been great to see the global excitement and enthusiasm around rosé wine. This phenomenon is something that was not present 10 to 15 years ago, when Sacha launched Whispering Angel and set the benchmark for quality rosé wines.

Recently, almost all wineries are producing rosé wine – not just in France or in Europe, but globally. We are seeing a major investment in rosé across the board, which will only better the industry. The consumer is becoming more curious about what it means to make a reputable rosé.

I think people are now realizing that rosé is a real wine. The Pale Rosé is a great example of rosé being the perfect wine to enjoy during any occasion: festive, fun and enjoyable all year round!

What is your favorite wine?

Rosé, of course! My hands-down favorite bottle is Chateau d’Esclans, Les Clans, Côtes de Provence. I was born and raised in Aix En Provence, the birthplace of the category, so it’s only natural that I gravitated to the number one rosé producer in the world.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

I get my inspiration from Sacha Lichine. He is the creator of The Pale Rosé and the man behind the rosé revolution that was experienced by every wine lover around the globe. He truly created the booming wine category: rosé. He set the benchmark for producing, marketing and selling quality rosé.

Who do you most admire in the food/wine world and why?

Paul Bocuse was one of the greatest French chefs. By creating the “nouvelle cuisine,” he paved the way to respecting the seasonality of the product. He always wanted to meet the producers behind the products he was preparing or using to make sure he was sharing their stories.

What’s a unique winemaking ritual you practice?

One unique ritual we practice begins in late September, where we harvest at night to avoid heat and oxidation. This allows us to keep the freshness of the fruits and preserve the optimal aroma.

What will you be serving at Rosé Soirée?

The Pale Rosé By Sacha Lichine.

Visit DansTaste.com for more information and tickets.

Château d’Esclans, 4005 route de Callas, 83920m, La Motte en Provence,France, +33 (0) 494-604-040, esclans.com