The Ultimate Guide to the Vineyards on The French Riviera

Vineyards on the French Riviera.

When people think about wine, many tend to think about France. At the same time, many people also tend to think about the French Riviera and the Cote d’Azur, especially when talking about rosé.

The French Riviera is one of the most iconic places for vineyards and growing wine, and that’s because it is blessed with an amazing climate that is ideal for growing grapes. The vineyards on the French Riviera are many, and the many of wines that come from there are time and time over considered to be some of the best in the world.

The vineyards on the French Riviera see lots of sunshine, but at the same time, it has (relatively) cool evening, with not too much rain. Thanks to the pleasant temperatures of the French Riviera, together with the “Mistral” wind, the vineyards on the French Riviera are to a large extent naturally protected from pests, while, at the same time, often see clear skies. The Riviera has the benefit of having a delightful Mediterranean climate, which means warm, dry and long summers, and mild winters, with sufficient rain in winter and spring. For producing wine, this climate is ideal.

A crucial ingredient for growing exquisite grapes is sunshine, and the French Riviera has no lack of it. In fact, the French Riviera get a minimum of 1400 hours of sunshine, but normally, the Provence averages 2700-3000 hours of sunshine per year, allowing the French Riviera vineyards to to produce exquisite ripe fruit, and most importantly, grapes.

The landscape of Provence is yet another reason why growing grapes is so ideal there. The landscape is made up of numerous mountains that create gentle slopes. This is a huge benefit since vines love to grow on hills. Plus, the gentle slopes create sheltered valleys, which also protects the vines, allowing them to grow in peace.

Furthermore, the vineyards on the French Riviera are blessed with a wonderful soil that is perfect for growing grapes, but they’re also diverse across the region.

In the western part, there’s plenty of limestone soil, since that specific area was once covered by a shallow ancient sea.

If you navigate east, you’ll find that the soil there is mostly made up of crystalline schist, which is granite, and then in one small area, volcanic.

On the French Riviera, you have lots of different plants growing wild, such as rosemary, juniper, thyme, and lavender, and many people say that these plants growing wild influence the character of the wines.

If you’ve enjoyed wines from French Riviera vineyards, you have probably seen that the labels often name different regions, and an important reason for this is the diverse soils that can be found across the Riviera. Because of the different soils, it’s not strange that on the French Riviera, many varieties of grapes are grown, and thus, many wines of different characters are produced from vineyards on the French Riviera

With all these different soils, climate, altitude and historical influences, it only makes sense that Provence is home to many varieties of grapes. Furthermore, it also makes sense that it is home to a large number of vineyards. Some of them will be familiar, such as Côtes the Provence, Bandol and Cassis, and some less famous, but despite this, produce top-class wines.

But despite the French Riviera vineyards having so many different types of soils which contribute to the wines’ character, the French Riviera is mostly known for it’s rosés, which makes many people wonder why the region has not come up with more internationally renowned wines. In more recent years, however, the focus on producing more high-quality red wines has increased on many vineyards on the French Riviera. An important reason to this is that foreign many foreign buyers become new owners of certain vineyards.  Consumers in the United States have proven to be very enthusiastic about rosés from the Riviera, as imports of Provence Rosés increased by 40% between 2012 and 2013!

The French Riviera has many vineyards that aren’t that famous, but it is important to know that just because the wineries aren’t world-famous doesn’t mean that they don’t produce incredible wine. In fact, the French Riviera has a large number of vineyards, some tiny, some family-owned, some focused on one grape variety, and some focused on several. The bottom line is that the vineyards on the French Riviera are many, and despite them coming from the same region, the way they produce wine can vary a lot.

In this article, we’re listing some of the top vineyards on the French Riviera that are considered to produce an exquisite wine that works hard every day to produce high-quality wines that live up to the reputation that the French Riviera has gotten.

Top books about French Wine

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For the Love of Wine: The French Edition

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Land and Wine: The French Terroir

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Essential French Wine: The guide to picking your next bottle

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Domaine De Toasc

This Provence vineyard offers guided tours of the estate both in English and French. The Provence wine tour of this vineyard is held for either 10 to 35 people where the price is €20/person or 2 to 9 people where the price is €30/person. There’s a package rate for less than 10 visitors which is €200.

The wine tour gives you a tour of the cellar, the wine house, as well as lets you try 6 products from the estate. The tasting has a fee but is free if you purchase for a minimum of €100 in the wine shop.

The shop is open Tuesday through Saturday, 2:30pm-5:30 pm.

Nice, France

Domaine Saint-Joseph

This beautiful Provence vineyard is open all year round between 9 am and 6 pm (note that the times may be subject to change).

If you want a tour of this Provence vineyard, you can take a tour for individuals & groups of 25 people max. You’ll get a guided tour of the vineyard and wine cellar, followed by a tasting. Reservations for a wine tour is mandatory, The French Riviera vineyard is only accessible by mini-bus. Tourist coaches can stop about 400 meters from the estate.

Tourrettes-sur-Loup, France

Chateau de Cremat

This is one of relatively few vineyards in Nice, France. The vineyard is situated on small parcels of land amongst housing and the vines are planted on man-made terraces which prevent mechanized harvest and also guarantees the highest possible quality of grapes once they are ready to be harvested. The vines are grown between 200 and 330 meters above sea level, and the soil in which they are growing in is a calcareous soil of sand and pebbles. This vineyard in Nice, France is entirely BIO.

Nice, France

Château de Bellet

Planted on the hills of Nice, Château de Bellet vines overlook the Mediterranean sea. In the background, you can admire the Alps and the Var Valley. The vineyard on the French Riviera covers 12 hectares and is located between 200 and 300 meters above sea level and benefits from great sunshine all year round (2,700 hours per year).
Coming from both the sea and the Alps, the wind provides a slow maturing process to the vines which is crucial for the freshness and elegance of Bellet wines. The unique soil is made of Poudingue (compact combination of pebble stones and sand) with a few clay veins.

Located on the top of the appellation, the vines benefit from South and Southwest exposures. Certified organic, we practice traditional viticulture, weeding and working the soil in a natural way. The Barons of Bellet family gave their name to this winery and to the appellation while their motto, “res non verba”, remains at the heart of everything we do.  And so, for over 400 years, « actions rather than words » has made the greatness and uniqueness of Chateau de Bellet wines.

Their signature is white wine but they also make rosé and red wines. The vineyard in Nice works with local grape varieties such as rolle, braquet and folle noire.

Their wines have been served during great occasions such as Prince Albert of Monaco’s wedding.

Château de Bellet from Alex Chevalier Films on Vimeo.

Nice, France

Château des Marres

This vineyard on the French Riviera is located between Saint-Tropez and Ramatuelle and covers 30 hectares, including 27 AOC classified vineyards. The building is in traditional Provencal style, and the winery is a family winery. The family is part of all stages of the winemaking process.

The soil on which the vines of this vineyard grow is composed of sandy-clay-schistous. The main grapes grown at this French Riviera vineyard are:

• For the Provence rosé: Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre.
• For the red wine: Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon.
• For the white wine: Rolle, Sémillon, Viognier (country wine).

Ramatuelle, France

DOMAINE DE LA SOURCE

The field of the source is a family business created in the 80s. Since the year 2000 the two sons of the owners have expanded the vineyard, and today, it is made up of 5 hectares of vines that are grown in a careful way that respects the soil. This French Riviera vineyard produces white, rosé and red in AOP Bellet with Rolle, Braquet and Mad Black which are grape varieties that date from the time of the Romans. Their wines are distributed on the most beautiful table of the world and known by the greatest wine connoisseurs there are.

The vault is open every day from 10h to 19h, and you have the opportunity to visit their vineyard in Nice, taste the wines of Bellet and buy your favorite wines.

Nice, France

Château carpe diem

This vineyard on the French Riviera has a stunning tasting room, lovely Provence wines, and knowledgeable staff. Today, the vineyard is run by family Philipon, and it is done so with great respect for nature.

The vineyard covers 14 hectares, and from 2016, the wines produced here are biological. This vineyard produces beautiful rosés in particular with a magnificent scent of Provence.

Cotignac, France

Chateau du Seuil

This estate and vineyard on the French Riviera cover 25 hectares, where about 65 percent of the vines are planted in red varieties of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and 35 percent in the white varieties of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. The vineyard also has about 15 hectares in the Graves appellation and 10 hectares in the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux appellation.

Aix-en-Provence, France

Domaine du Deffends

This delightful Provence vineyard is situated in the foothills of Monts Auréliens running along the ancient Roman road of the same name. The grapes grown here acquire lovely characteristics as the soil is chalky, arid and porous. Due to the gentle incline, facing south, the du Deffends vineyard has never suffered the effects of frost on its wines, and the vines get plenty of sunshine.

The vineyard in Provence is a family owned vineyard.

Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, France

Domaine Paternal

Domaine du Paternel offers wine tours as well as tastings by appointment. The tours last for 45 minutes, beginning with a presentation of the vineyard, with a particular emphasis on the characteristics of the terroir. Then, the tour moves to the cellars of this Provence vineyard, ending with a magical tasting of the beautiful vines produced here.

The wine tours are available in different languages: English, Spanish and Portuguese. Like most wine tours, it is paid, and it is designed for small groups of up to fifteen people.

Cassis, France

Château Saint-Maur

Château Saint Maur Cru Classé : The successful bet of Roger Zannier.

It was in 2011, when Roger Zannier, already owner in the Douro of the magnificent Quinta do Pessegueiro acquires the Château Saint-Maur which covers today 70 hectares of vines of which 55 are exploited.

Located in Cogolin, a stone’s throw from Saint-Tropez, the Domain was completely forgotten! Convinced of the potential of the vineyard, Roger Zannier then embarks on major projects, from winery to plant, nothing is left to chance to give birth to great wines.

In 9 months, a high-tech winery is coming out of the ground. 2013, the first vintage of the new owner writes the first page of the rebirth of the sleeping beauty scripted by Marc Monrose, son-in-law of Roger Zannier, in charge of the family’s wine portfolio. In 2015 Marc MNROSE entrusted Patrick GALLIANO with the technical direction of the domain, and that same year he created his first vintage, a strong marker for the return of Château Saint-Maur on the paths of Excellence.

The 2017 vintage is up to the ambitions of Marc Monrose and his teams, the wines are magnificent, of great elegance, the vintage is now at the height of its rank and is already in the “top ten” of the best Côtes de Provence.

FOCUS ON TWO ROSES

L’EXCELLENCE

This precious rosé AOC Côtes de Provence expresses with elegance the delicacy of its prestigious terroir. Already consecrated by the greatest tasters, the Cuvée Excellence excels in refinement.

This rosé born on a chalky clay-limestone soil is the result of the perfect combination of Grenache (40%), Syrah (25%), Cinsault (20%), Tibetan (10%) and Rolle (5%). This wine is produced at 98500 bottles and sold for 20 € at the best wine cavist.

CLOS DE CAPELUNE : A goldsmith rosé!

Produced with only 3000 bottles, this classy rosé is distinguished by its incredible finesse. Presented in its haute-couture bottle, the Clos de Capelune is at the peak of its elegance in this 2017 vintage.

This high-end wine was born on an exceptional terroir of 14ha, with perched vines at 449 meters above sea level, the highest in the Côtes de Provence’s appellation.

Fruit of the subtle blend of Syrah (45%), Grenache (30%), Rolle (20%) and Cinsault (5%), the Clos de Capelune is of inimitable quality, it gives us all the quintessence of this precious terroir in a luxurious bottle.

The Clos de Capelune is sold at 35 € in the beautiful cellars.

Cogolin, France

Collet Bovis

This is one of the not so many vineyards in Nice, France. It offers guided wine tours with tasting, which includes 4 to 5 wines. The cost of the tour is 15 euros per person with less than 8 visitors in the group. The price is 12 euros for 8 to 16 visitors in a group, and 10 euros for groups over 16 visitors.

It is possible to rent rooms here to stay at the vineyard.

To make an appointment:

• phone/fax: 04 93 37 82 52
• email: jeanetmichele.spizzo@sfr.fr

Nice, France

L’Annexe du Château de Bellet

The Domaine de la Source is a vineyard on the French Riviera which covers five hectares. It is a family-run estate. If you visit, you can sample the famous (AB classified) red, white and rosé wines of Le Bellet. The wines produced here are world famous, but they are made in limited quantities. These wines can be found served in some of the world’s best dining rooms.

Nice, France

Villa Minna Vineyard

Villa Minna Vineyard is a family vineyard located about 20 minutes north of Aix-en-Provence. The vineyard is made up of 15 hectares of vines. Villa Minna vineyard grows the following grapes:

Planted with vines, they grow the following grapes:

White: Vermentino, Roussanne och Marsanne
Red: Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvedre, Grenache, Caladoc and Marselan.

At Villa Minna vineyard, they don’t make any rosé wine which is very unique in Provence, considering that Provence is regarded as the best and most iconic rosé producing region int he world.

Villa Minna vineyard on the French Riviera focuses on making white and red quality wines that allow and demand years of rest in order to reach its full potential.

The vineyard is ecologically certified since 2012, however, they have never used any chemical pesticides, and the wines produced contains minimal with sulfites. They never add any yeast at the vinification, instead, the fermentation happens completely naturally with the help of natural yeast that exists naturally on the grapes.

The harvest is done completely by hand, and when harvesting, they only pick the very best grapes. That is why they have a low rate of harvest, at about 25 HL/HA.

They store their red wines for 24 months and let it rest inside of oak barrels before making the mixture. Then, they let it rest in bottles for 3 years. This means that they have 5 years between harvest and releasing the bottles for sale.

The white wines rest for 12 months before mixture, 30% in oak barrels, and the rest in stainless steel vats. The white wines from this vineyard are released for sale after 3 years.

Saint-Cannat, France

Cave of Bonnieux

The winery has the unique ability to offer two appellations “Luberon AC” and “Ventoux AC” products from different “Terroirs”, which gives each type of wine a character that is drawn from their roots.

The vineyard is situated in Luberon Regional Natural park reserve and has an autonomous water treatment plant which guarantees that there is no pollution discharge into the natural environment.

The vineyard benefits rom a wide variety of soils and exposition. The vines are grown with neighboring cherry and olive trees.

The grounds where the vines grow are made up of rolling slopes and hillsides, and the soils also vary with ochre-coloured sand around the Roussillon area. Furthermore, the vines benefit from growing on south-facing slopes and on marly, gray Gargassian clay and limestone.

Bonnieux, France

Château Font du Broc

The Chateau Font du Broc is open to the public throughout the year and gives you the opportunity to taste their lovely wines. They are open 7 days a week, offering Cotes de Provence AOP wines in a room dedicated to wine tasting. Their cellar is 20 meters deep.

• 4 Persons minimum Booking needed
• 10€ per person Duration 45 min.

Les Arcs, France

Château Thuerry

Château Thuerry, a winery in Provence, is located on three villages and three different wine zones: Flayosc – AOC Côtes de Provence; Villecroze – AOC Côteaux Varois en Provence; Tourtour – IGP VAR – Côteaux du Verdon. The whole estate is made of 340 hectares on which we have 40 ha of vines and some 750 olive trees. We produce a wide range of wines available on the three colors: Le Château, Les Abeillons & L’Exception.

Château Thierry is above all a relationship between Man and Earth that has continued through the ages. The Majestic Bastide dating back to the Knights Templers has roots that go deep into the heart of the Var hillsides at an altitude of 400 meters. The hills create a natural barrier that protects the wines against the Mistral. The soil consists of clay, limestone, and pebbles. These grounds, where the respect for the earth coincides with excellent wines, are predestined to produce a wine of character, use a delicate balance of both traditional farming and modern winemaking techniques.

Following the inspiration of the “Vigneron” the production in their state-of-the-art Winery of 2300m2 ranked as one of the most beautiful cellars in the world, allows them to optimize the quality and characteristics of each grape varietal. Their production will consist of approximately 45% red, 45% rosé and 10% white wines.

The cellar is literally buried under three meters of earth, allowing an excellent natural temperature control and the use of gravity: once harvested and selected, their grapes are de-stemmed and split before descending by gravity into the circular fermenting room where the temperature of their tanks are regulated.
Their cellar offers an exceptional production quality and practical working conditions all within the concept of a well-designed and spacious winery.
During the winemaking process, they use stainless steel vats providing perfect hygiene, traditional oak barrels and concrete tanks
The low temperature is automatically controlled with natural air-flow and Humidity is maintained at an ideal of 70%. They are proud to control the whole process from farming, through winemaking, to bottling of their wines.

Wine, Olive oil, but also art, makes the heart of the estate beat. Artists expose every year in “Art et Vin”: for summer 2018 both David Dahan (Photographer) and Joris Ghilini (Artist) will expose their individual artworks, and projects on which they cooperated. The opening of the exhibition takes place on Friday 22^nd June 2018 at 5.30pm, the artists will introduce their work that will be visible on the estate every day until 31^st August.

Guided tours of the cellar take place every Wednesday and Friday during the summer season -July & August- at 2.30pm. A great time to discover their chai, discuss winemaking, and taste their wines of course!

Villecroze, France

Domaine des Planes

This 30 hectares vineyard is surrounded by mediterranean forest : cork oaks, mimosas, and heather. Here, they grow Mourvèdre, Tibouren, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon and Rolle, from which they produce “high expression and shelf wines”.

The vineyard puts a great emphasis on the natural balance and respecting the nature in their winemaking process.

Roquebrune-sur-Argens, France

Domaine Rabiega

This vineyard can be found in Draguignan, half-way between nice and Nice och Aix-en-Provence. The estate has, apart from a vineyard a cellar for the making of quality vines of top-class, as well as a shop where the estate’s products can be purchased at great prices.

The vineyard offers wine tours where you’ll also get to meet the winemaker Anders Åkesson.

Draguignan, France

Château La Canorgue

The vineyard can be found at the heart of the Luberon Regional Natural Park. It is a family-owned estate that started in the 1970s by Jean-Pierre Margan. He then passed on his passion and experience to his daughter, Nathalie, who now represents the 5th generation of winegrowers.

Bonnieux, France

Chêne Bleu – La Verrière

Another Provence vineyard is Chêne Bleu. This vineyard hosts boutique wine tours and oenotourisme activities. Furthermore, it also offers private tastings. The wine course that this vineyard offers has been rated among the best by the top professionals and wine critics in the industry.

THE WINE

Chêne Bleu is the couture wine the family has been creating at La Verrière in Provence. They have the great fortune to be located in an idyllic, protected mountain saddle in the foothills of Mt Ventoux at 1700ft (550m) in the Southern Rhône region on the border of Gigondas, in a UNESCO biosphere reserve.

It has taken a decade of dedication to bring the medieval priory, its 75-acre (30 hectares) vineyard, and its mature vines to the highest international standards. With great care and the most exacting qualitative practices, they have flourished and are yielding results worthy of the property’s tradition and the ambitions of the project.

THE VINEYARD

The land is organized into mini-parcels reflecting the specific characteristics of each area. Biodynamic principles are added to their to our vines, avoiding synthetic fertilizers and chemicals, in favor of bee propolis- based treatments from their own apiary. A flock of organically-managed sheep winters in the vineyard and provides weed-control as well as natural fertilizer. Disciplined pruning and double sorting result in exquisite fruit quality and deliberately tiny yields (14-25 hectoliters/hectare), compared to an average of 30-45 hl/ha for most super-premium wines in nearby Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

 

The harvest is done by hand, and the grapes are treated with the same respect once they arrive at the gravity-fed state-of-the-art winery, equipped with small wine-making tanks tailored to each one of the parcelles. These are ideal for bespoke vinification and assemblage.They use the best French oak vats for otheir Reds, and temperature- controlled stainless steel tanks for their Whites and Rosés. Their wines are aged in a cellar using only the finest French Oak.

THE WINEMAKING STYLE

Although they appreciate many of the merits of the Appellation system, they have decided to “do their own thing”, in order to have the freedom to implement these international qualitative practices, as their high-altitude terroir is typical for the low-land Southern Rhône estates.

These costly processes are exacting and time-consuming, but they consider them essential to ensuring a bespoke wine of the highest quality. They believe that this extreme approach to winemaking combines the best elements of tradition, respect for nature and avant-garde technique. They have endeavored to create a wine which is completely natural, yet refined and complex, and reflects the best of terroir-based viticulture, coupled with a winery that integrates the most ground breaking international techniques.

All the wines have in common concentrated fruit aromas from the Southern sun, freshness, and acidity from the high altitude, and complex mineral structure from our unique geology, giving them desirable balance and a persistent finish. The reds benefit from long decanting and have strong aging potential.

The CUVÉES

• Abélard: a rich and structured grenache-based red blend
• Héloïse: a smooth and silky syrah and Viognier-based red blend
• Astralabe: a velvety grenache-based red blend for everyday drinking
• Aliot: a complex and floral Roussanne-based white 
• Rosé: a rounded and full-bodied salmon-pink rosé
• Special Editions: such as their delicately perfumed Viognier

Crestet, France

Chateau Routas

Chateau Routas is situated in the Southern French region of Provence. In fact, Provence is the birthplace of the French vineyard when the ancient Greeks brought wines and vines to the area around 600 BC

Today the focus and reputation of Provence winemaking is the production of Rose wine, and the wine is so embraced due to its universalness, as it is considered as the best lunchtime, seaside, and all-occasion wine. The Region also produce Whites and Red, but in much smaller volumes. At Chateau Routas, rosé accounts for 75% of their total production, 20% white and 5% red.

So along with Sunshine/ St Tropez/ and the Cannes Film festival- Rose wine permeates the culture of the South of France.

Provence rosés display a range of colors, textures, and flavors. Yet all Provence rosés have some common characteristics: on the palate, they tend to be fresh, crisp, bright, and dry. A typical American wine contains almost seven times as much residual sugar per liter as aréos from Provençe rosé.

There are three main appellations in the region (representing 96% of the volume of wines with Provence appellations)

• THE CÔTES DE PROVENCE APPELLATION
• THE COTEAUX D’AIX-EN-PROVENCE APPELLATION
• THE COTEAUX VAROIS EN PROVENCE APPELLATION

Chateau Routas sits within the quality-control system of the Coteaux Varois en Provence.

Although most likely vines were grown within the Routas area for perhaps many hundreds of years, the Chateau Routas story began in 1992, when a Swiss/ American owner bought two areas of land: ROUVIERE PLANE and LES ROUTAS from two different owners.

ROUVIERE PLANE contained no vines, only the Chateau itself and some outbuildings.

LES ROUTAS contained vines spread over many different parcels. The oldest vines still in use today are in this area- their top Syrah grapes planted in 1963.

Both Rouviere Plane and Les Routas came together to form the Chateau Routas of today.

13 years later Chateau Routas was purchased by Scottish entrepreneur Sir David Murray. During this time the vineyards had gone undergone a major replantation program with the goal of improving quality and increasing the number of vines on the estate.

The Routas estate today covers 260 hectares- of which 40 hectares are currently vines.

The estate also encompasses wheat fields Olive trees, forests and the occasional mountain. The terrain is punctuated by a stunning geological anomaly, the 885ft-deep Infernet Hole (Devil’s Hole), a canyon thought to have been created by a meteor collision. The hole is a favorite refuge of the local wild boars, which are unfortunately a little too fond of the Chateau Routas grapes.

As in all the best properties, the Chateau Routas soil varies dramatically, resulting in small vineyards that are often unusually shaped. Some plots on the premise are red as crushed brick and some consists of crumbly grey limestone that are mixed with bright red stones that have been and is bleached in the hot summer sun. At 1,300 feet above sea level, the elevation is among the appellation’s highest, providing cool nights that slow the ripening of the grapes, contributing complexity and dictating harvests that are up to a month later than those below.

6 different Grape Varieties at Routas:

• Syrah
• Cinsault
• Grenache
• Viognier
• Chardonnay
• Cabernet Sauvignon

Rosé

Grape Variety: 45% Cinsault, 35% Grenache, 20% Syrah. Yes, Rose is actually made from Red grapes!

The grapes are gently destemmed, cooled and pressed, the juice and the skins are kept in contact with each other for 24 hours. This gives the wine its distinct pink color. Then 8% of the Syrah goes straight into neutral barrels for primary and malolactic fermentation. The Cinsault, Grenache and remaining Syrah are fermented in stainless steel tanks and blocked from malolactic fermentation. The two different lots are aged separately for three months and blended prior to bottling.

Popularity

15% increase in consumption over the past 10 years; 22.3 million hectolitres in 2012 versus 19 million in 2002).

Chateauvert, France

Château des Demoiselles

Château Des Demoiselles, beautiful countryside of 300 hectares of woody and green land, located in Provence, near the Gorges de Pennafort, and 30 min away from Saint Tropez and Cannes. The Chateau Des Demoiselles has been purchased in 2005 by the Teillaud family, owner of the prestigious Château Sainte Roseline in Les Arcs sur Argens. Expressive, refined and elegant, the wines of the property and the charming guest house seduce all visitors…
Free daily cellar visit – Wine tasting – Exhibition – Walking tours, quad rental – Guesthouse
English, Dutch and French spoken

A unique Château with many activities:
Oenotourim program 2018:
LA FOULÉE DES DEMOISELLES Sunday 20 May : 4th Ladies running race to support the fight against female cancer. (1800 women)

TRIO DE JAZZ Sunday 22 July: “Vocal Swing Trio”. Jazz concert with musicians from the national Jazz scene. Wine tasting. Food truck.

APÉRITIF MUSICAL Friday 10 August :  Live Music. Wine tasting. Food truck.

EXHIBITION ART ET VIN 15 June – 15 September: Hervé FABRE – Photographer. Live Music.

Walking paths in the vineyard: 4 km (1h), 6 km (1h30), 8 km (2h).
Biking tours in the vineyard/forest: 1,6 km / 4,6 km / 12 km 
Randonnées Quad et Buggy
Picnic place with tables between the vines
Guesthouse for 14 guests

72 hectares of vines on the total property of 300 hectares:
11 grape varieties of the Provence: Mainly Rolle is used for our white wines and mainly Syrah and Mourvèdre are used for our red wines
Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Tibouren, Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Rolle, Sémillon, Ugni-blanc, Clairette

Chateau Sainte Rosaline

“AN EXCEPTIONAL WINE ON AN EXCEPTIONAL PROPERTY”
This 100 hectares land, rich of a clay-limestone soil, a pure water spring and sunny weather is known to produce amazing Provence wines. The whole Château Des Demoiselles estate covers 300 hectares of woody and green land, located in Provence, near the Gorges de Pennafort, and 30 min away from Saint Tropez and Cannes. The Chateau Des Demoiselles was purchased in 2005 by the Teillaud family, owner of the prestigious Château Sainte Roseline in Les Arcs sur Argens.

Winemaking starts in their prestigious vineyard created in the XIIIth century by Pope Jean XXII, which benefits from seven centuries of wine culture. The magic of this domain full of history and legends reflects in wines that will charm taste lovers and perfectionists. Certified ISO 9001, the Château is very demanding in terms of cultural and winemaking process, as well as storage.
Today, the vineyard produces 11 grape varieties:

Syrah, Cabernet sauvignon, Carignan, Tibouren, Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Rolle, Sémillon, Ugni-blanc, Clairette. Mainly Rolle is used for their white wines and mainly Syrah and Mourvèdre are used for their red wines. Their wines are regularly rewarded.

THE VDD LABEL (VIGNERON EN DÉVELOPPEMENT DURABLE)
VDD is the only complete and balanced sustainable development label dedicated to the wine sector. By targeting this certification*, the Château guarantees its commitments
in terms of social and environmental responsability, from the vines to the customers’ table.
* (in process)

A HAVEN OF PEACE
Both registered historical site and one of the Cru Classé vineyards of the Côtes de Provence, the Château Sainte Roseline is one of the most beautiful domains of Provence. The vineyard
stretches over 100 hectares and the property hosts a parish chapel where the body of Sainte Roseline, prioress of the abbey from 1300 to 1329, was laid to rest. Renowned as a pilgrimage site, the chapel also houses works of art from Chagall, Giacometti, Bazaine, and Ubac. The romantic XIIth century cloister, the majestic alley of 200-year-old plane trees and the barrel cellar will immerse you in a timeless atmosphere, in an exceptional and serene environment.

BETWEEN TRADITION AND VISION
The vocation of Château Sainte Roseline is not only to offer an excellent Cru Classé wine from Provence but also to open its doors to a large number of people interested in culture and « art de vivre ». Every year, numerous cultural events are organized and notably a monumental sculpture exhibition in the summer. Weddings and Gala evenings are organized all year.

Cultural program (oenotourism) 2018:

• TRUFFLE DAY 21 January:Truffle hunting, mini market, conference, and a splendid truffle lunch by Chef David Carré.
• VINTAGE LINEN FAIR Saturday 17 + Sunday 18 February: Discover all kinds of vintage and antique clothes.
• MODERN ART DAY Sunday 22 April : 3 guided walks along the sculptures of the Château’s beautiful garden. Painting workshop.
• PLANTS AND ROSES FESTIVAL Saturday 5 + Sunday 6 Mai – Display and sales by more than 40 exhibitors. Children’s activities. Restaurant.
• EXHIBITION OF SCULPTURES 30 June – 30 Sept: By Art Gallery Catherine Issart in Saint Paul de Vence: 5 great artists present an amazing exhibition in and around the Chateau
• MEDIEVAL HARVEST DAY Sunday 16 September: Animations, cellar visits, and wine tasting. A Medieval lunch will be proposed with live music.
• CHRISTMAS FAIR Sunday 2 December: Discover, enjoy, taste or buy different Christmas goods. Children’s activities. Restaurant.
• NEW YEAR’S EVE DINNER Monday 31 December: New Year’s Eve dinner dinner followed by a dance evening.

CONCERTS AU CHATEAU SAINTE ROSELINE:
14 July : LE ROMANTISME LYRIQUE FRANÇAIS – 19H00
19 July : LA NUIT DU PIANO 19H00
26 July : UNE NUIT À L’OPÉRA 18H30
1st August : ROSSFELDER GUITAR QUARTET – 18H30 – CHAPELLE STE ROSELINE

To contact the vineyard:

• 2040 Route de Callas 83920 La Motte
• 04 94 70 28 78
• contact@chateaudesdemoiselles.com

Free daily cellar visit – Wine tasting – Exhibition – Walking tours, quad rental – Guesthouse
English, Dutch and French spoken.

La Motte, France

Domaine de Marotte

This vineyard love to share their passion for wine with the public, and therefore, they offer wine tours of the domain by appointment.

If you want, it is also possible to rent a holiday home (gîte) at Marotte.

email:info@marottevins.com

Carpentras, France

Château Paquette

At this vineyard estate, Thirty hectares of vines are in production, which is farmed with great respect of the soil. They only use vegetal composts and the manure are used to fertilize the vine. The vineyard has been certified with organic farming, and their 2014 vintage will have the “Organic wine” badge.

Fréjus, France

Domain Grande Bastide

The Domain Grande Bastide vineyard can be found in the glorious countryside at Tourrettes (Var), just five minutes from the lake of St Cassien.

The vineyard has since 2001 been reinvigorated by enthusiastic new owners, especially by a man by the name of Lars Torstensson which took the leadership of the vineyard, originally a journalist, trained as a winemaker in France. He led the Domaine Grande Bastide vineyard in Provence as it was then owned by Vin & Sprit, from 1988 to 2005. Furthermore, he has won a number of international wine awards and was appointed as wine writer by Vigneron de l’Année food and wine magazine in 1994.

Tourrettes, France

Clos Sainte-Magdeleine

You can visit this vineyard and then have it be followed by a lovely wine tasting. During the wine tasting at this Provence vineyard, you’ll learn the complete history of the vineyard, as well as the process to elaborate their wines.

The tours are available from April to September from Tuesday to Saturday, two times a day – at 11 (eleven) o’clock and at 4 (four) o’clock PM.

• Avenue du Revestel – 136260 Cassis – France
• Tel : +33 (0)4 42 01 70 28 – Fax : +33 (0)4 42 01 15 51
• The wine tour costs 12 € /person (including 2 wines tasting).

Cassis, France

Chateau Les Crostes

Château les Crostes is located a 40-minute drive from Saint-Tropez and the Mediterranean coast. The castle of the estate dates from the 17th century, and it is surrounded by a spacious garden, an olive grove, and a hilly vineyard. Inside the beautiful castle, you will find 9 spacious rooms.

The Château les Crostes is a vineyard in Provence that is rewarded for its wines of pristine quality.

Lorgues, France

Château de la Pascalette

The vines of this Provence vineyard all have Appellation d’Origine Protégée (A.O.P.) Côtes de Provence, something that is valued by the lovers of French wine. The vines that make the grapes of which their amazing wine is made from are planted on the hillside over the valley of Sauvebonne, close to the sea and the mountain.

The vineyard has chosen the grape varieties that fit perfectly the conditions of Provence: a thin layer of clay soil on the limestone, dry and sunny climate and strong winds moderating summer heat.

Rosé is the ultimate wine of Provence, the wine of Provence is mostly known for, and therefore, rosé makes over 80% or their product. 15% of their produced wine produced is red. Their red wine is strong, tasty, with a lot of tannins and that ages very well. Lastly, only a mere 3% of their wines (and of the total production of Provence) are white wines.

La Londe-les-Maures, France

Vignoble Rasse Saint-Jeannet Vindazur

COLECTION VARIETIES:

• Saint – Jeannet
• Serveant
• Portan
• Caladoc

WHITES

• Rolle
• Viognier
• Chardonnay
• Grenache Blanc
• Muscat d’Alexandrie
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Marsanne
• Chazan

REDS

• Merlot
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Syrah
• Marselan
• Mourvèdre
• Grenache
• Malbec
• Cabernet Franc
• Chenanson

This vineyard offer wine tours in multiple different languages: French, English and Spanish.

Saint-Jeannet, France

Château Simone

By a religious order by the name of the Grands Carmes d’Aix, the cellars of Chateau Simone were dug out in the 16th century. Their cellars have multiple galleries, and the perfect humidity and temperature make the caves perfect for storing and aging wines.

Meyreuil, France

Château Val Joanis

The wines of this Provence vineyard and winery, located in the Vaucluse Department of France are classified AOC Côtes du Luberon. The gardens belonging to the winery are listed as The gardens of the winery are listed as one of the Remarkable Gardens of France by the Committee of Parks and Gardens of the French Ministry of Culture

Pertuis, France

Domaine Bertaud Belieu

This domain and vineyard on the French Riviera is situated in the peninsula of Saint-Tropez. The estate covers an area of 65 hectares. Saint-Tropez is one of the most iconic cities when it comes to rosé wines, and therefore, 80% of the wines that the vineyard produces is made up of rosé wines. The vineyard is also known for making high-quality are and white wines as well, which have Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Cotes de Provence.

The vines here are grown on sandy limestone, and raphaëloise coast, sandy clay, limino clay soil, where a number of different types of vines for wine is grown, such as number of varieties including Grenache, cinsaults, Syrah, tibourens, Mourvèdre, and rolles.

The plots of the vineyard are the most exposed to the sun are devoted to red wine, more than limestone, and this is because the expression of minerality is used for white wines.

Gassin, France

Vignoble Chasson – Château Blanc

This vineyard is spread over 68 hectares, which translates to (168 acres). 

This land is made up of 3 sub-divisions:

• A.O.C. Ventoux, located on 35 hectares, on hillsides that are exposed to the sun and breezes as a result of the altitude.
• A.O.C. Luberon covers 21 hectares and is located in the villages Bonnieux, Lacoste, and Maubec.
• The Vins de Pays du Vaucluse vineyard sits on 12 hectares. There, mainly wine from young vines of 4 to 10 years are grown.

The perfect climate of this vineyard makes it ideal for growing vines, as it has a mild Mediterranean climate, and fresh temperatures on the slopes, which contributes to making exceptional full-bodied red wines and fruity and fresh rosé and whites.

Roussillon, France

Château de Fontcreuse

This vineyard in Provence on the French Riviera grows vines with white grape varieties, and produces about 100,000 bottles of White Wine each year. Their white wine is made up of 52% Marsanne, 15% Clairette, 33% Ugni Blanc.

They offer three varieties:

Marsanne: This has round berries which produce a green juice which gives degree and aroma. This grape variety helps give finesse and a lingering taste on the palate.

Clairette: This is a vine which has large ellipsoidal grapes of a low yield. The grape delivers freshness and persistence.

Ugni Blanc: This vine produces cylindrical berries,  with its cylindrical berries, and helps give the white wine of this vineyard a delicate touch of acidity.

Cassis, France

Domaine La Tourraque

Since 1805, the same family has been cultivating this vineyard, based in the Protected Site of the Three Capes. At first, it was an autarkic farm, hunting, and fishing, producing fruits, vegetables, cereals, olive oil, and of course wine. Then, the last one became the main production.
In the heart of the Peninsula of Saint Tropez, the vineyard produce AOC Côtes de Provence wines, and also their own olive oil. 40 hectares of vineyards and 370 olive trees are cultivated on the estate. Aware of our role in the local ecosystem preservation, they cultivate their land with respect for this protected natural place, as well as its exceptional biodiversity.

The Vines

The south-facing slopes of the vineyard, plus the land predominantly clay shale, give the vineyard special qualities; a microclimate protects the quality of the grapes, that they optimize by limiting yields and a constant work of the ground. They produce the grapes according to the rules of organic agriculture.

Types of grapes :

•   Rolle
• Sémillon
• Ugni Blanc
• Cinsault
• Tibouren
• Grenache
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Mourvèdre
• Carignan
• Syrah

Ramatuelle, France

Domaine Terres Destel

This Provence vineyard is made up of an estate of 12 hectares and is the only vineyard located in the commune of Saint Raphael. The vines here are grown on a volcanic soul of the Esterel, which gives the grapes grown here a special minerality. The vineyard is located at the heart of the Esterel Massif, the “Terres Destel” and overlooks the Var plains, Saint Raphaël Bay and the Saint-Tropez Gulf.

The vineyard is unusually situated on the sides of a volcanic rock massif, and this means that the vineyard sees lots of Provence sunshine as well as Mediterranean sea breezes.

Saint-Raphaël, France

Domaine Vintur

The Domaine Vintur is an independent vineyard and wine producer on the French Riviera, situated more specifically on the lower slopes of Mont Ventoux, 33 Km from the city of Avignon. Graham Shore, a British wine-lover lived in that part of Provence for close to 20 years and then decided to buy Domaine Vintur in 2010, and at that time, the estate had been under-managed for several years and some buildings were in need of renovation. Since then, the vineyard has undergone a huge change.

Carpentras, France

Mas de Cadenet, Guy Négrel

The Mas de Cadenet is a Provence vineyard located at the bottom of the Sainte Victoire Mountain, close to Aix-en-Provence. The land has a long and rich history, which is demonstrated in the fragments of amphorae which has been found on the property,  dating back to Roman Times. The history of this Provence vineyard starts in 1813 when the Negrel family bought the estate. Today, the estate is run by Guy Negrel with the help of his children Maud and Matthieu Negrel. The vineyard is situated 250 meters above sea level and is made up of five hectares that are in the Côtes de Provence Appellation and forty hectares which are on the sub appellation Côtes de Provence of Sainte Victoire. This Provence vineyard produces 60% of rosé wines, 30% of red wines and 10% of white wines, a blend that is not too common on the French Riviera, where rosé is all the fuzz.

The grapes grown at this vineyard are:

• Rolle
• Syrah
• Grenache
• Cinsault
• Cabernet-Sauvignon.

To ensure high-quality wines, ‘the yield of the vines is naturally kept low, at about 45hl/ha on average.

Trets, France

Château Vignelaure

Château Vignelaure was created in the late 60’s by Georges Brunet, previously owner of the third growth Château La Lagune. The 60 hectares of vineyards sits high above sea level at nearly 400 m, 30 km north of Aix en Provence.

The vineyard benefits from a late microclimate. The grapes are harvested by hand at perfect maturity.

Chateau Vignelaure produces excellent rosé and white wines but is especially famous for full body red wines mainly made with Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Syrah.

Rians, France

Domaine La Garelle

Le Domaine de la Garelle is predominantly made up of northern slopes of the Luberon mountain, where vines grow on calcareous soils, sand, and clay. Some parcels of the land are strewn with stones, which give off the heat that has been stored up during the day – something that benefits certain varieties of grapes, Syrah in particular, as it contributes to it developing its very own aromas.

Ménerbes, France

The Chateau Martinette

Situated in the heart of the Var region, this Provence vineyard was founded in 1620 and is now experiencing a renaissance since having been acquired in 2011. The vines of this vineyard grow on soils composed of marl-limestone veins, hard limestone slabs, and gangrels of ferric clay.

The vineyard works with organic farming and benefits from the surrounding biodiversity.

Lorgues, France

Domaine des Beaucas

On the heights of the Saint-Tropez gulf, in the Var, this vineyard sits pretty. On the hillsides on a sandy-clay-schistous soil, the vines of Domaine des Beaucas benefits from exceptional climatic conditions and preconditions.

Plenty of sunshine and a delightful sea breeze, due to the immediate proximity of the sea, prevents heat strokes in the summer and prevents frost during winter.

The Provence vineyard consists of noble grape varieties only, which are:

• Grenache
• Cinsault
• Syrah
• Mourvèdre
• -used for rosé and reds

And Rolle and Sémillon for White wines.

Sainte-Maxime, France

The Domaine de la Citadelle

This vineyard is mainly located in the municipality of Ménerbes, on the northern slope of the Luberon.

The estate has four soils and is divided into 74 parcels with altitudes up to 300 meters.

Ménerbes, France

Château Turcan

Located at 220 meters above sea level, this vineyard can be found on the south face of the Luberon.

It is situated on a windy and rocky limestone plateau and gets full sun at noon. The estate is made up of a 15 hectares vineyard.

The noble grape varieties used for reds and rosés are:

•  Grenache
• Syrah
• Carignan

and for Whites:

• Vermentino
• Roussane
• Viognier

Ansouis, France

Château Canadel

The soil of this French Riviera vineyard is unique, and a result of a strange geological phenomenon. 35 million years ago the fold in the Alps turned the soil layers upside down, which meant the older, roughly 200 million year old soul landed on top of the younger, about 65 million-year-old soil.

This lead to a soil which consists of limestone and sandstone. The vineyard is 15 hectares large, and  the vines here are grown on terraces. The terraces of the vineyard are sustained by dry stone walls which limits soil erosion as well as prevents water streaming down. The vineyard faces south, and during the night, the walls built for the terrace restore the heat that has been retained from the sun throughout the day, creating almost like a micro-climate on each of the terraces.

Le Castellet, France

Commandery Peyrassol

This Provence vineyard was founded in the 13th century by the Knights Templar. This estate covers an area of about 850 hectares of oaks and olive groves, 93 of which are dedicated to growing vines, and ultimately making wine. The vineyard has a great natural location, with an elevation of 330 meters above water,  on the lower slopes of the Massif des Maures. The vines grow on a clay and limestone soil which is ideal for farming grapes of perfect characteristics. The first varieties of vines were planted here about 800 years ago

Flassans-sur-Issole, France

Château Fontvert

Château Fontvert is situated close to the village of Lourmarin, in the Luberon Mountains, a region which has been celebrated for its stunning scenery and beautiful landscapes.

The vineyard and estate were founded in 1598 by the Huguenot family. The vineyard covers 20 hectares, where they have focused on organic and biodynamic farming since 2008.

They focus on the typical grape varieties:

• Syrah/Shiraz
• Grenache
• Mourvèdre
• Vermentino
• Grenache Blanc

Lourmarin, France

Domaine Saint Amant

The winemaker of this French Riviera vineyard is Camille Wallut. The vineyard was founded in 1995, and since then, the family has been producing great white and red wines. The vineyard is situated about 600-750 meters above sea level, and as such, the temperatures there are cooler than on the valley floor. Therefore, the white wines of Saint Amant are based on Viognier, which is an aromatic variety that is more closely associated with Condrieu in the Northern Rhone valley.

Their red wine has a lot more Syrah than the neighboring producers, and this is also because of the vineyard’s high altitude.

Suzette, France

Castle Calavon

This estate and vineyard on the French Riviera are owned by the Audibert family, a family that has been making wine in Lambesc for 5 generations. It remains undefeated as the oldest vineyard in the surrounding area. The vineyard covers 47 hectares and was initially cultivated by the Princes of Orange, before then being dived up after the French Revolution.

Lambesc, France

Castle of Saint Martin

oChateau de Saint Martin vineyard is situated on an altitude of 130 meters above sea level, at the junction of two geological zones which gives the wines produced here a special character. The soil varies at this vineyard, and to the south, red schist, rough sandstone, fine clay with quartz grains can be found. To the north, there is clay up to ne meter deep, and limestone that dates back to the Primary Age. This is something that is extremely favorable to ´producing quality wines as it gives the wines a special character.

Taradeau, France

Château Minuty

This estate has belonged to the Matton-Farnet family for 80 years and continues to do so, being run as a family business, producing wine while overlooking the Saint-Tropez peninsula. The vineyard covers 55 hectares of vines growing on calcareous, schist soul, as well as an additional 40 hectares of vines growing on limestone should, and a further 17 hectares located on the hillsides of Valderian, offering a stunning view over the bay of Pampelonne.

Gassin, France

Château Bas

This beautiful vineyard is located in the heart of all the vineyards which can be found in the Aix en Provence region. Due to the diversity of terroirs and climate, it is a perfect place for wine growing.

This French Riviera vineyard covers 70 hectares and consists of two main regions. Th region closest to the chateau is deep and rich, while the other grapes have other characteristics.

Vernègues, France

Château Constantin

This vineyard is situated close to the village of Lourmarin. The estate and vineyard cover 20 hectares with magnificent limestone terroir which enables the growth of vines that help make incredible wines.

Lourmarin, France

Castle Mauvanne

Certified True Class since 1955, this vineyard represent a theatre onto the sea. The terraces build on the estate looks like rows of seats, and the vines grown on the terraces could be the audience enjoying the stunning scenery of the sunset or sunrise.

Les Salins d’Hyères, France

Domaine Saint Jean de Villecroze

The Domaine Saint Jean covers over 28 hectares across three different sites. The parcels make it possible for the vineyard to deal with various climate hazards such as ice, hail, frost, as generally, these climate hazards don’t affect all three sites.

Two of the parcels are situated in the Coteaux Varois en Provence A.O.P. area and the third in the Côte de Provence A.O.P. area. The domain is situated 50 kilometers from Saint-Tropez, and the whole are covers an area of 80 hectares of hills, featuring vineyards, olive trees, stone pines, and more.

Villecroze, France

Chateau La Curnière Vins de Provence AOC

The soil of this vineyard drains and limits excess water, and in summer, there is a great thermal amplitude between the warm days and chilly nights. This gives the grapes a slower ripeness, which allows them to develop finer aromas and create acidity in them, which makes for fresh and stable wines.

Tavernes, France

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French Riviera wine quote:

“The French have understood and celebrated rosé all along. Those from Provence … have long been the gold standards.” — S. Irene Virbila, Los Angeles Times

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Terre Bianche

While Terre Bianche isn’t a vineyard on the French Riviera, it isonly a 45-minute drive from Menton, and if you want to widen your range of vineyards and explore the Italian side of vineyards, this is definitely a vineyard to visit.

“Wine is our passion. Since the very early days in 1870, our primary aim has been to create a quality product that celebrates the flavors of our unique Ligurian grapes.
We’ve found the perfect spot in the Val Nervia area, which benefits from a mild climate and is unique for its peculiarly white soil – that’s where our name, Terre Bianche, comes from. And we’ve developed production techniques that perfectly combine the innovation of new technology and processes with the tradition passed on through generations.

Our vineyards are our most precious heritage, cultivated over the centuries, show a variety of soils and micro-climates, the perfect foundation to create an original take on yet recognizably Ligurian wines: rossese di Dolceacqua, pigato, and Vermentino. Every vineyard offers unique geological, geographical and historical characteristics, which we invite you to discover. Our goal is to be uncompromisingly true to our territory and transform our vineyards into a unique wine that perfectly captures the qualities of our environment. We believe that a deep understanding of our vineyards, our grapes and of the appropriate wine-making techniques are key to a coherent interpretation of the terroir. An approach that doesn’t burden our wines with unnecessary frills but instead it highlights their natural qualities, respectful of a particular vintage and environment.

Dolceacqua IM, Italy

VMV Vignerons du Mont Ventoux

This French Riviera vineyard is unique in the way that it stretches out on the foothills in a “biosphere zone” that is protected by UNESCO.

Bédoin, France

Domaine Perzinsky

THE DOMAINE’S HISTORY 

Porquerolles Island is the largest of the three Golden Isles, just off the French Mediterranean coast between Toulon and St Tropez. Planted with vines since Roman times, the island’s schist soil and temperate climate provide the ideal situation for grape-growing. In return, the vineyards protect the dense pine woods from the danger of forest fire and make parsimonious use of the underground water, so precious in Provence.

The Domaine Perzinsky is a small family winery, started in 1989 by two brothers, Cyrille and Alexis Perzinsky on land leased from the Port Cros National Park. After many years’ experience in Burgundy and Bandol, they now tend ten hectares of gentle slopes in the island’s central valley producing white, rosé and red wines respectful of tradition and the exceptional surrounding environment.

THE GRAPES :

Several different grape varieties are grown on the estate: Mourvèdre, Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Cabernet, Rolle, and Sémillon. The vineyard is entirely trellised to take full advantage of the sunshine in this southern-most tip of Provence and its small size and low yield allow for special care to be taken at each stage of production. Fifteen years of hand-picked vines were followed in 2008 by the first machine harvest. The grapes can now be collected in the early morning cool before the August and September heat robs them of their freshness and aroma.

Dominantly Mourvèdre, the red is very dark and rich with tannins. To enjoy now with a game or a good cheeseboard or to cellar for up to ten years. 

Hyères – Ile de Porquerolles, France

Domaine de la Bégude

The vineyard covers 29 hectares planted, with an elevation of 300m in “Terroir Mediterranean” of Limoux in Pyrenean foothills.

Le Camp du Castellet, France

Domaine des Peyre

This magnificent vineyard has a rich history which stretches back to the 18^th century. In 2012, a new owner took over the estate, and after two years of hard work, the wines were begun carried out. The vineyard covers 26 hectares where vines with the following grape varieties are grown:

• Grenache
• Syrah
• Carignan
• Viognier
• Sauvignon
• Clairette
• Vermentino

DOMAINE DES PEYRE

Rooted in the great history of the vineyard, this estate has been cultivated for more than 2000 years which has helped contribute to master the organoleptic quality of the wines. The vineyard has a production of about 80,000 bottles per year, made up of 10% white wine, 50% red wine and 40% rosé.

Robion, France

Domaine de Marie

This estate and vineyard covers 57 acres and includes the vineyards of Domaine de Marie and La Bastide de Marie.

Ménerbes, France

Chateau Fontainebleau du Var

The Château Fontainebleau estate covers 27 hectares of vines that are separated into small parcels spread out over the entire estate. The parcels vary are divided based on their variety of grapes, including:

• Grenache
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• old Carignans
• Ugni Blanc
• Syrah
• Vermentino
• old Cinsault

What’s special about the vineyard is that it has a very diverse soil, which gives the vines and grapes different characteristics. Mainly, the soil is made up of tuff, which is suitable for white wines, classical limestone clays, and red mudstone rich in iron oxide. The diversity in the soil gives a great structure to the estate’s wines.

Le Val, France

Domaines Ott Clos Mireille

Each of the Domaines Ott* estates are cultivated in a way that fully respects nature. The soil of the vineyard is used without chemicals or techniques that damage the ground and its quality.

La Londe-les-Maures, France

Les Mesclances

The history of this vineyard and estate stretches far back to the Gallo-Roman era. It was detached in 1802 after the family division since1530 by the family of Sieur de Boutiny which are ancestors to the current owners of this French Riviera vineyard.

Covering 110 hectares, the area enjoyed a lovely Mediterranean climate that is perfect for growing grapes.

La Crau, France

Domaine Faverot

This vineyard covers 6 hectares and embraces sustainable agriculture and winemaking process. The vines were planted more than 100 years, made up of Carignan and Grenache.

The estate grows Rousse and Rolle grape for whites and Grenache, Carignan, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault for reds and rosés.

Maubec, France

Domaines Ott * Saddle Chateau

Another of the Ott estates is Château de Selle which was acquired by Marcel Ott in 1912. The vineyard is situated on soil where only olive, lavender and mulberry trees used to grow, but where vines are now the center of attention. The estate is located not far away from a former 18th-century residence of the Counts of Provence.

The soil here is gypsum, red clay, dolomite and sandstone mixed with gravel and stone, which, today, makes it possible for the vineyard to create distinguished and elegant wines.

The vines grow perched on high limestone inland slopes which shelters them from winter post. The whole estate enjoys a microclimate of mild winters, early springs and warm and dry summers, all of which together with a great deal of sunshine, making it ideal for winemaking.

Taradeau, France

Clos Roses

Just 40 minutes away from Nice airport, you’ll find this vineyard in the French Riviera.

Fréjus, France

Vineyard Saint Jeannet – Domaine des Hautes Hills

This is the oldest established vineyard of the Vin de Pays des Alpes Maritimes. M. Rasse and his family have safeguarded the regional tradition of aging rosé and red wines in large glass demijohns out on the road.

Th rosé produced at this vineyard has plenty of character, and their white wines fermented and aged in barrique. The red wines produced are full-bodied and fresh, despite the unusual maturation process.

Saint-Jeannet, France

Aureto Vignobles

A 36 hectares vineyard on the French Riviera with no less than fifteen grape varieties. This ensures each vintage quality and diversity.

Goult, France

Fondugues-Pradugues

A family-owned, organically farmed vineyard estate that is situated in the heart of the Saint-Tropez peninsula.

Ramatuelle, France

Domaine Tourbillon

The history of Domaine Tourbillon stretches far back to the middle of the XXth century when the grandparents of the current owner were wine growers at Gigondas.

Lagnes, France

Château Unang

Facing east and south, sitting at an elevation of between 220 and 320 meters above sea level, this vineyard on the French Riviera is completely surrounded by forest. It’s cooler here compared to other areas around the region, but the vineyard still manages to produce popular wines.

Malemort-du-Comtat, France

Château Margüi

The vineyard has been up and running since the year of  2000, with 15 hectares of vines, when the vines were replanted on clay and limestone soul that had bee dormant for 30 years. The vines replanted and today grown are Syrah, Cabernet, Vermentino, Cinsault, Grenache, Sangiovese.

The land of the vineyard has never used any chemical fertilizers for over 40 years

The soil dates back several thousands of years, and are very strictly controlles, with 30 hl/ha. The late harvests highlights their ripe grapes.

Châteauvert, France

Château d’Astros

The harvest at this vineyard is carried out either by machine or by hand, for the older parcels in particular, and is as fresh as can be for when the vilification process starts.

The process of turning the grapes into wine takes place in so-called maceration tanks, which have a maximum temperature of 16°. After the fermentation, which is between fifteen days and three weeks, the wine is drawn off and sulfur added.

After this, the wine is ready to start aging, and it does so in vats or barrels for three to twelve months depending on the vintage.

Vidauban, France

Château Maravenne

This vineyard is awarded an organic label by Ecocert and produces wines using organic viticulture standards. This means that the winemaking process is done with respect to the traditions and land on which the vines are grown on. Furthermore, in the process,  only 100% natural products are used throughout all stages.

La Londe-les-Maures, France

Domaine de la Tuilerie

This vineyard has been family business for the past fifteen years, now run by Hélène Cauvet.

Hyères, Franc

Gros Nore

All plots in the vineyard are located mostly south of the Cadière d’Azur and on the northern slope of its hill which gives the vines optimal sunshine. The cultivation of the vines and the process is organic because all phytosanitary treatments are limited to the use of copper and sulfur. In other words, the vineyard uses no weed killers or pesticides.

The harvest is almost solely done by hand, and the vines are plowed 4 to 6 times a year which brings a great freshness to the wines and contributes to its balance.

La Cadière-d’Azur, France

Château Volterra

Ramatuelle, France

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