Chateau La Gordonne

Chateau La Gardonne is a French castle steeped in history located in the picturesque landscape of Provence, specifically in Pierrefeu-du-Var, less than 30 kilometres north-east of the city of Toulon. The Gardonne area was colonised as early as the 1st century B.C. by the Romans, who spread vine cultivation in the area. From 1300 onwards, the art of wine growing was then perpetrated by Carthusian monks, while the definitive birth of Chateau La Gardonne dates back to 1652. Today, the estate, specialised in the production of rosé wines in full Provençal style, is part of the Vranken Pommery Monopole group, which, in addition to the prestige of Champagne, has invested in brands dedicated to the production of fine Port and, indeed, rosé wines.

The Chateau La Gardonne estate has no less than 330 hectares of vineyards located within a natural amphitheatre of shale soils, also rich in limestone, clay and skeleton. The climate, strongly influenced by sea breezes from the Mediterranean Sea, is characterised by high hours of daylight throughout the year, as well as rather mild winters and hot, dry summers, all prerequisites for quality wine growing. On these pedological and environmental parameters, following the principles of organic farming, Chateau La Gardonne cultivates traditional Provençal varieties such as Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah, as well as the ubiquitous Cabernet Sauvignon. Harvesting is carried out by hand at night in order to enhance the aromatic component and acidity of the grapes, while a pneumatic champenoise press, designed by Paul-François Vranken to use only the most valuable part of the must, is used for gentle pressing of the grapes. The subsequent alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a low temperature, and the wines are also matured in steel containers.

The rosés of Chateau La Gardonne impress with their softness and aromatic fragrance, characteristics that reflect the sunny, Mediterranean environment of the region, where vines have been successfully cultivated for thousands of years.