Last week, a glass of Symphonie Rosé greeted arrivals at Beefbar New York, where Château Sainte Marguerite hosted a private dinner with CEO and head winemaker Olivier Fayard and brand ambassador Natalie Hayes.
In town for the New York Wine & Food Festival, Fayard joined the table for “La Vie en Rosé,” introducing three 2025 wines over a curated family-style menu. Beefbar’s interiors paired architectural detail with a warm, earthy palette. Botanical motifs extended across walls, while upholstered chairs gathered around stone tables. Pink floral placemats and daisy arrangements brightened the dinner setting. Beefbar’s Bernardaud porcelain supplied its own sense of whimsy, with eyes, laughing faces and other emojis decorating the plates for a polished and playful atmosphere.
The daisy motifs continued onto the bottles: Symphonie featured a single daisy, Fantastique a fuller floral spray, and Marguerites with long, branching stems. Marguerite is French for daisy, and the house’s emblem appeared throughout the evening, including on a a keepsake postcard of a woman holding rosé beneath a flower-shaped parasol.
Photo Courtesy: The Knockturnal
At dinner, Olivier invited guests to smell and taste before explaining the wines, allowing the table to form its own impressions. His family’s involvement dates to 1977, when his parents, Brigitte and Jean-Pierre Fayard, acquired seven hectares of vines in Provence. The estate is among the 18 estates that retain the Cru Classé designation in the Côtes de Provence. Château Sainte Marguerite’s coastal vineyards in La Londe overlook the Îles d’Or, with the Mediterranean close by. Fantastique and Collection Marguerites are certified organic, with blends drawn from vineyard parcels with different soils, exposures, and growing conditions.
Their pale color was particularly interesting. Under the table lights, some pours looked almost white, although red grapes made up most of the blend. Marguerites en Provence Rosé 2025, for example, combines 60% Grenache and 20% Cinsault with 20% Rolle (also known as Vermentino). Gentle pressing and limited contact between juice and skins help produce the estate’s delicate rosé color.
At the table, Symphonie accompanied hamachi pastrami with cabbage slaw and miso mustard. The floral and delicate rosé, with peach and citrus aromas, was the perfect introduction to the flavors of Château Sainte Marguerite.
Fantastique Rosé brought a dry, mineral character to the shared course. Its white peach, pear and tropical fruit notes accompanied the pepper-glazed chicken in the KFC bao buns, making for one of the evening’s boldest pairings. The rock corn was also a favorite: crisp tempura enclosed sweet kernels under a coating of spicy mayonnaise.
Photo Courtesy: Château Sainte Marguerite
Marguerites en Provence Rosé (limited to 15,000 bottles annually) was poured with the main courses. Apricot and pineapple notes accompanied its fresh character, with a mineral, lightly saline finish.“We wanted to make high-quality wines, without constraints or concessions,” Fayard explained. The wine was paired beautifully with Beefbar’s Creekstone Farms ribeye. The tender, savory beef and the freshness of the rosé made a delicious, decadent combination. The table also shared steamed halibut with ginger-caper relish, crushed Marcona almonds and an herb salad, alongside half-roasted chicken with asparagus, shiitake mushrooms, mash and truffle jus.
Photo Courtesy: The Knockturnal
Dessert was Gelato Mantecato, a fior di latte gelato on a fitted wooden tray, surrounded by individual vessels holding caramel, toasted nuts and berries, like a sundae bar arranged for a dinner table. Brand ambassador Natalie Hayes helped summarize and place the three bottles in everyday terms: Symphonie for an occasion that needed little planning, Fantastique for dinner with friends, and Marguerites to share with one other person over a meal. The evening gave plenty of inspiration for the next invitation through conversation and exploration of the aromatic Provençal rosés.
