We won’t whisper. Not today. Today we sing—loudly, joyfully, a little off‑key perhaps—because Whispering Angel turns twenty.
I still remember that night as if Provence itself pressed it into my memory. It was 2 July 2016, and I was gliding through the warm, inky darkness in a borrowed car, heading toward Château d’Esclans. The occasion: the 10th vintage celebration of Whispering Angel, the rosé that didn’t just enter the world—it changed it. Sacha Lichine’s first triumph after buying the estate in 2006, and the wine that rewired the global mindset about rosé entirely.
Leaving Le Muy behind, I followed the Route de Callas with the windows down. The summer breeze drifted in, carrying that unmistakable Provence perfume—herbs, heat, and a hint of mystery. I’d visited the estate often since 2006, always in daylight, always welcomed like family. I’d watched Sacha’s vision unfold from up close: lunches under the plane trees, tastings that stretched into conversations, and the quiet confidence of a team building something extraordinary.
But that night, the darkness was absolute. No road lights. No landmarks. Just me, a slightly panicked sense of direction, and the growing realization that I was—how shall I put it—fashionably late. After circling the valley longer than I care to admit, I finally stopped the car, stepped out, and listened. Really listened. And then, like a fairy tale cue, a soft shimmer of music floated through the night. A glow. A whisper. My guiding angel.
(Wine journalist Janna Rijpma-Meppelink and Sacha Lichine)
I arrived feeling like Cinderella slipping in just before midnight—minus the pumpkin, plus a healthy dose of relief. The welcome, as always, was warm enough to melt any embarrassment. Sacha and his team have that rare gift: they make you feel as if you’ve returned home after a long journey.
Champagne flowed. Rosé glowed. Dinner—lavish, perfumed with mountains of truffle courtesy of the legendary Bruno—was pure indulgence. We dined under the stars, surrounded by friends, music, laughter, and the kind of dancing that only happens when the wine is excellent and the company even better. A swell party indeed.
That’s the beauty of a great wine: when the bottle is empty, it doesn’t fall silent. It becomes the keeper of the moment, the guardian of memory. And that night created more than memories—it marked also the rise of the magical trio: Garrus, Les Clans, and Château d’Esclans.
And now, somehow, twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye. On my table stands the new (magnum!) bottle Wispering Angel 2025, looking at me with a celebratory sparkle—its special 20th‑vintage label signed by Sacha Lichine himself. A whisper that became a voice. A voice that became a movement. A rosé that became a legend. Happy 20th, Whispering Angel. You’ve never whispered to me—you’ve always sung.
(Tasting notes will follow shortly. The wine will be released in March 2026)
