Roseblood Is Carla Bruni’s Bid For The Future Of French Wine

In the spring of 2020, Carla Bruni—former First Lady of France, ong-time fashion icon, et al— joined a circle of investors acquiring Château d’Estoublon, a 300-hectare estate in the Alpilles better known for its olive oil than its wine. Her husband, Nicolas Sarkozy, was among them, as was Jean-Guillaume Prats, the former CEO of Lafite Rothschild and LVMH Wines.

By the time Victor Joyeux, a celebrated rosé expert and precision-minded winemaker, was tapped to lead production, the investors’ intentions were clear. This wasn’t about olive oil. It was about building a modern house of vinocultural luxury, with a flagship rosé to anchor it.

That rosé was Roseblood.

Launched as the estate’s hero wine, Roseblood was built for branding from the start, a calculated disruption of the pale-pink genre, built for structure, longevity, and export potential. “Roseblood captures the soul of Estoublon and the authentic charm of Provence—its light, its scent, its art of living,” Bruni says. “Unlike most rosés that evoke the French Riviera, we are rooted in the authentic, raw beauty of the Alpilles.”

And that differentiation has proved smart. Today, rosé accounts for nearly 10% of global wine consumption. France produces more than a third of it. But the premium category is crowded—dominated by lifestyle marketing and bottles designed for poolside optics rather than cellar longevity. Roseblood positions itself differently from the flavor up: it opens with wild strawberry and peach skin, moves into citrus and bright minerality, and finishes with salted almond and chalk. It’s vinified with restraint—no fat, no glycerol—but by no means shy.

“What primarily guides me is achieving perfect balance in the wine,” Joyeux says. “Aromatically, it should neither be too expressive nor too light… I often refer to this as ‘balanced complexity,’ which is, in truth, the result of a long and meticulous process.”

The grapes—Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, and Rolle—are grown on high-altitude slopes in the Coteaux Varois, a less-hyped but technically-brilliant corner of Provence. “The altitude and climate naturally delay the harvest, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and fully,” Joyeux explains. “This extended maturation enhances balance, finesse, and aromatic complexity.”

But Roseblood is only one piece of Estoublon’s reboot.

Since the acquisition, the estate has undergone a comprehensive repositioning with a broader lifestyle strategy: a renovated hospitality programme, a boutique, a restaurant, and a non-alcoholic sparkling cuvée, L’Excessive. “With L’Excessive, we embrace new lifestyles and offer a sophisticated alternative to alcohol that aligns with our values of excellence and conviviality,” says Bruni.

The non-alcoholic wine market, once seen as an afterthought, is now projected to reach over $1 billion by 2027. L’Excessive positions Estoublon at the front end of that curve; it’s subtly luxury-coded, but with mass market potential.

Elsewhere, white and red wines are in very promising development. Oenotourism has been scaled. The olive oil arm—still a regional stronghold—has been modernised, with updated packaging, selective distribution, and co-branding all in the works.

This is where Bruni’s influence is most evident. “My career in music and fashion taught me the importance of authenticity, emotion and sense,” she says. “I apply those same principles to Roseblood. We aim to convey something sincere that brings emotion—a product that tells a story.”

It’s also visible in the estate itself. Estoublon is not flashy, but it is unbelievably—dare I say gorgeously—manicured from its entrance to the pathways around its vines. “We are dedicated to delivering consistent excellence and ‘Art de vivre’, from our wines and olive oils to the refined art of hospitality at the Château, restaurant, and boutique,” says Prats. “Our ambition is to tell a desirable story and offer a dream-like escape in the serene heart of Provence.”

But behind that dream is serious ambition. “We have embraced this dynamism at Estoublon, operating with the agility and innovation of a start-up,” Prats says.

If Joyeux is the precision, Prats is the scale. And that matters. Before Estoublon, Prats spent over a decade at the helm of Château Lafite Rothschild, followed by five years leading LVMH’s global wine division. He understands not just the production and prestige end of the business, but the commercial engine behind it—pricing power, distribution networks, brand equity. At Estoublon, he’s applying the same global playbook—only this time, with full creative control.

That makes Roseblood not a lucky acquisition, but a case study in strategic execution.

It also makes for a compelling contrast to brands like Whispering Angel—the juggernaut Provençal rosé brand currently dominating global sales in the category. Produced by Château d’Esclans and acquired by LVMH in 2019, Whispering Angel built its empire on accessibility and brand ubiquity: it is Instagrammable, recognisable, and relatively affordable. It accounts for the vast majority of Provençal rosé exports to the US, and helped fuel rosé’s global rise from seasonal curiosity to a year-round staple.

Roseblood, by contrast, is not built for ubiquity. It is not priced to be casual, nor does it sell pink as a lifestyle shorthand. And that rigour extends beyond the branding. “The majority of our vineyards are certified HVE Level 3 (High Environmental Value), which ensures that the agricultural practices we implement preserve ecosystems and minimize environmental pressures on soil, water, and biodiversity.”

The investment in such processes appears to be paying off, too. Roseblood has now expanded into more than 20 countries, including the US, UK, Switzerland, and Japan. Its 2024 allocation sold out early across several top-tier retailers, and it’s increasingly being stocked at high-end venues like Le Meurice in Paris, The Connaught in London, and select Aman properties.

Distribution remains tight but deliberate, leaning on boutique retailers, sommeliers, and design-led hospitality groups. The brand is also in talks for a capsule collaboration with a major French fashion house for next year—one that reflects Bruni’s vision of “emotional elegance.”

Estoublon doesn’t release financials, but insiders suggest Roseblood is outperforming initial targets, with its latest cuvée already being reserved for Michelin-starred tasting menus and private collector cellars alike.

“With Roseblood, we go beyond the wine itself, offering an experience that sells a dream,” says Bruni. “The dream of Estoublon and its unique Art de Vivre.”

The language is deliberate. Art de Vivre—a term long favored by Dior, Guerlain, and other LVMH maisons—is a shorthand for contemporary, cross-category luxury. A literal transition of ‘the art of living’.

In this case, the art just happens to come in a bottle.