Between Sainte Victoire and Sainte Baume, not far from St Maximin, the Château d'Ollières has a rich history. Thisancient manor is now one of the jewels of the AOC Coteau Varois en Provence. It is now owned by the Rouy family originally from Burgundy who took the Château with the intention of restoring its prestigious reputation. Twenty years later this sleeping delectable wines from the Château d’Ollières have forged a place in the most prestigious wine guides and can be found at the greatest gourmets restaurants in France. Château d’Ollières is a gift of nature. Syrah, grenache and cabernet sauvignon grape varieties all flourish in the clay-limestone soil and harsh micro-climate. The wide variations in temperature are conducive to exceptionnally ripe grapes, resulting in highly concentrated, well-balanced and remarkably sophisticated juices. Thanks to rigorous and environmentally friendly cultivation methods combining tradition and modernity , the 3vintages demonstrate a knowledge of talent widely recognized in competitions and wine guides

This is a familial story. 5 generations have succeeded each other in the Peirecèdes Vineyard. In 1991, Alain Baccino and his wife Véronique build the cellar leaning against the PEIRECÈDES bastidon. Audrey and Leslie work with their parents in the family business. Audrey (OEnologist) vinifies the wines with much refinement and precision. Leslie is at the head of the administrative pole with Véronique who is in charge of all the labels of the society.

Our vinyard stretches over sixty hectares beteween the sea and the mountains.

Two Domaines, one of them nestled between Pierrefeu and Cuers near the Maures, surrounded by Provencal garrigue, the other one, near the sea shore between Carqueiranne and la Moutonne, caressed by a sea breeze.

Our exceptional terroir, classified in Terroir PIERREFEU, allows us to propose Rosé and White wines of great complexity but also grand Red wines with long ageing potential. We elaborate Côtes de Provence and wines which are classified Côtes de Provence PIERREFEU.

Willing to work minimizing the impact on Nature, we work in an organic way (ECOCERT).

Our team is made of four departments: Vine, Cellar, Communication and Administration gathering 12 persons. Our main wish being to provide a great quality, each step, from planting to vinification, are meticulously worked.

Château Bonisson is located in the village of Rognes in the South East of France in the heart of the geographical denomination (AOP) "Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence". It all started in 1791 when the first vine plot was registered on this land. The Le Dorze family acquired Château Bonisson in 2017 with the objective of revitalizing the estate while respecting and representing their values: quality, authenticity, tradition and sharing. Respecting the environment is key for them: the vineyard has been restructured and improved keeping nature in mind. The vineyard is managed under the organic guidelines, in respect to the moon cycles in every step of the wine making process. The land is plowed by horses in order to respect the soil and avoid down turn. On top, harvest is completely done by hand hiring experienced grape pickers. All this to nurture the land and get the best grapes to ensure quality wines.

Provence still has a few places that have been forged by time and the dedication ofindividuals, which you can discover when you take a detour off the main roads.Domaine de Rasque, which has been inhabited for the past 6,000 years, is one ofthose magical spots that holds the traces of all its residents, past and future.

“It’s not chance; it’s Love.” A few choice words to encapsulate the entire philosophyof Château Rasque and the Biancone family.

1983

Out of their love of the land, Gérard and Monique Biancone decided to acquire theRasque Woods, a slice of provençal countryside overlooking Taradeau, in 1983.Gérard , a stonemason by trade , inherited his soul of a builder from his mother.And Monique, the daughter of a winemaking family in Bordeaux, is committed torunning a traditional vineyard in the heart of Provence.

They began by planting 15 hectares of typical Provence varieties of grapes in the clayand limestone soil, which would allow Domaine de Rasque’s identity to firmly takeroot. Over the years, their children Pascale, Fabio, Sophie, Alexandra and Enzowould share in the joys and rewards of a fantastic harvest.

1992

We built a Reception & Tasting Room and a Barrel Room to be able to receive ourguests the way they deserve, and to allow our red wines to mature under optimalconditions.

The 150 m2 maturing storehouse, built by the Compagnons du Devoir ( a frenchorganization of craftsmen), is located underground. That placement is ideal forkeeping the temperature to a maximum of 17°C, so our reds can age in 40-50hectolitre oak tuns, accoding to the traditional methode.

2001

Château Rasque expanded with the purchase of an additional 15 hectares ofgravepines to cultivate.

Then a few years later, while walking along the base of Sainte- victoire Mountain,the couple became enchanted by a 12 hectares property wich they decided to buy : leClox Jasmin and its old vines, which mainly produces red wine.

Lastly, in 2003, they acquired the hermiatge de Saint- Pons in Figanières a 30hectare estate, 80 % of which is planted with grapes to make rosé.

Those wines, made according to proprieary Château Rasque techniques, provide alovely complement to the rest of our range of wine.

2005

CHANGING OF THE GUARD

Sophie Courtois Biancone joined her father at Rasque to learn from him and absorbhis expertise before the reins to the winery were handed down to her. Nowadays,Sophie manages the winery’s development with a great deal of fortitude and energy,under the watchful eye Gérard who remains by her side. She imbues the wine with ashare of feminity and subtlety whilst retaining a touch of her father and follows inthe footsteps of her mother, who created the property’s Clos de Madame red wine

2009

WINE TOURISM COMES TO RASQUE

On the strenght of her experience in event planning, Sophie lauches wine tourismat Château Rasque. The majestic Bacchus Room is opened for receptions.

Wedding packages are offered with a chapel newly built from the remnants of achapel in the Burgundu region.

In 2012, in response to growing demand, Sophie decided to construct a four-bedroom vineyard house made of stones from the property. That accommodationcombines the spirit of a family home with the charm and comfort of acomtempoary interior.

2018

TWO SIBLINGS AT THE HELM

Château Rasque celebrates its 35th anniversary ! But that’snot all ! The return ofEnzo, nicknamed « the Child of the vines», was a stroke of luck, as he has alwayssharedin his sister’s love of their land.

The idea of joining the family business, assisting his sister with the winery’smanagement and communications, was the obvious choice for him.

Together, they decided to upgrade the bottles and labels of their iconic CuvéeSpéciale wines.

In 2019, they updated the winery’s brand image, adding a touch of modernity whilstretaining the anthenticity of the logo, and in that way preserving Château Rasque’sChâteau Rasque’sidentity over time.

TERROIR & EXPERTISE

Château Rasque’s soil is rather unusual. The property is part of one of the lastupthrusts of the Alps. Oak trees, pines, broom, cistus and blackberry bushes allcoexist on the land. The soil of clay and limestone, a top a natural outcrop at analtitude of 260 metres, is favourable for growing grapes. That type of soil, which ischaracteristic of great Côtes de Provence wines, brings out the fruity and floralaromas in white and rosé wines. It also adds strength and delicate tannins to reds.

PRUNING

Grapes grow on wines that need to be pruned and trellised if they are going toproduce more fruit than wood. There are different methods for pruning grapevines,but Cordon de Royat wad chosen to be used at Rasque. The result is consistentmaturity of the grapes, as they are all at the same level and receive the sameexposure.

This is a key phase that both strenghtens the vinestock and controls its yield. Inother words, it determines whether or not the next harvest will be a success. Sophielooks after the plants herself until they are four years old - the time when the vinehas definitively taken root and begins to bear fruit.

HARVESTING

Debudding takes place in the month of May. This process involves removing anybuds that have not borne fruit and that are growing on the old cordons and coulddivert sap away from the buds that are actually producing fruit. This operation willdetermine how the vines grow, so it’s best not to make any mistakes ! It also helps toregulate the future production of grape clusters and to control the yield.

Next comes trellising, which insolves separtaing the branches and holding them inplace by means of wires and hooks. The idea is to help the vines grow and the grapesripen by maximizing the leaves’ exposure to sinlight.

Harversting is when the grapes are picked to make wine, but it means more thanthat to us : harvest time marks the end of a year of work for the winemaker and theteams.

Here at Rasque, we don’t use any machines. All our grapes are picked by hand. Oncethe tractor driver has brought the crop back to the loading dock, the work can beginat the winery.

WINEMAKING

Wine is made by means of « vinification». Each winemaker brings their ownknowledge and equipment to the table when it comes to crafting each individualwine. At Rasque, although we use modern equipment, we still employ gentle,traditional winemaking methods that respect the fruit and enhance and extract thebest possible expression of the soul of the terroir. If you want to learn ourwinemaking methods that respect the fruit and enhance and extrat the best possibleexpression of the soul of the terroir. If you want to learn our winemaking secrets, besure to stop by for a visit in September!

BOTTLING

Once fermentation is complete, we blend our wines in the perfect combination.

We begin bottling our rosés and whites the January after harvesting. Our red winesare meant to be cellared and so are only bottled after a few years of ageing.

Bottling is a very delicate operation that demands a few weeks of rest for the winealthough some wineriesrace to release their latest vintages, consumers should notrush to drink them too early.

Remember , good things come to those who wait !

INTRO TO WINE TASTING

Novices and enthusiasts alike are welcome to step through the wrought iron gratesinto our Barrel Room made of stones from the property. Awaken your senses duringa wine tasting sessionor develop your sense of smell duringa fun activity.

Our winery was awarded the “Vignobles & Découvertes” label by Atout France forthe quality of our hospitality.

We welcome individuals and groups to taste our wines. You will begin with a tour ofChâteau Rasque, including its Barrel Room, an underground cellar made of stoneand housing 16 giant oak barrels. In the summer season, the Art Room is a popularspot to admire paintings and sculptures by local artists.

Each tour is followed by a tasting of our wines, with commentary.

We also offer oenology workshops, blind tastings and name-that-fragrance gamesto awaken your senses.

LABEL HVE 3- CONVERSION BIO

Clos la Neuve is an area of 300 hectares, 40 of which are planted with vines and 6 with olive trees. It's a family story. Indeed, Mr Désiré HENRY bought the estate in 1936 (hence the name of the cuvée: 1936 Côtes de Provence). It was Pierre JOLY, his grandson, who created the Clos la Neuve brand by building the wine cellar and its sales cellar. Today, his daughter Fabienne JOLY-CAIRE and her husband Richard CAIRE take over. The vines are planted on clay-limestone soil and the work is done in HVE (High Environmental Value) agriculture. Concerned about the environment, they are above all committed to sustainable development. 1482 : Provence loses his independence to become a province of the kingdom of France on the Louis XI’s reign. 1936 : Désiré Henry buys the domain of Clos la Neuve Fabienne, his great-granddaughter, is now the fourth generation to exploit it

On acid soils, a rarity in Provence, great red, white and rosé wines are born in Rimauresq. With care, we identify the plots with the most character to offer you cuvées with strong typicity which, we hope, will satisfy the most discerning palates. Low yields, organic farming that match with the surrounding nature, gentle and precise vinification, chiselled ageing, explain the unique character of our best cuvées. Attention to detail drives us to produce great cuvées only when the quality of a vintage justifies it. Come and meet a historic Cru Classé, we will welcome you as a friend and let you taste the vintages for sale. 

Le domaine de l’Heure Bleue se situe à Gonfaron en plein cœur de l’Appellation Côtes de Provence Notre Dame des Anges et à Carnoules. Son Vignoble de 12 ha, en culture biologique, offre une gamme de vins rosés, blancs et rouges d’une qualité confirmée par les différentes médailles et récompenses obtenues.

Le nom du domaine fait référence au terme photographique désignant le laps de temps qui sépare le jour et la nuit, où les couleurs du ciel et des nuages sont sublimées par le coucher du soleil.

L'heure bleue est également le meilleur moment de la journée pour sentir le parfum des fleurs et de la nature.

Amoureux de la nature, le propriétaire Alain Place a eu un véritable coup de cœur pour ce domaine, qui est aujourd’hui un des fleurons de la dénomination Notre Dame des Anges.

The Hostellerie des Vins de Rognes was built 100 years ago. The winery consists of a group of vine growers who share the same passion : love of vines and good wine.

The vine growers gathered to share the production tools, this way they can produce the best wines in a modern winery.

The winery is in the north of Aix en Provence, this land offers Sun-soaked wines, full of garrigue aromas and Mediterranean flavours.

With theses 45 vine growers, we benefit from diversity of soils and skills, which is converted into complex and aromatic wines.

The Hostellerie des vins de Rognes produces registered designation of origin wines: Coteaux d’Aix en provence, Wine of Provence, and Méditerranée.

The winery uses technologically advanced production tools to be able to maintain high quality and offer a Premium Rosé Wine.

Introducing Pey Blanc: Crafting Provence Rosé since 1930 in the heart of Aix-en-Provence.

Our style? Think fresh, pale, and elegantly aromatic, capturing the essence of Provence in every sip.

We're not just Aix's local favorite; we love to party, always in good company, but without taking ourselves too seriously! Join us on our adventure, from the heart of Aix-en-Provence to thirty countries around the world. We're all ears for new opportunities and eager to expand our network.

So, why meet us? Because we're not just winemakers; we're wine enthusiasts, and we'd love to share our great rosé wines with you.

Cheers to a fruitful partnership! 🥂