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Wines That Speak Elegantly of the South of France.” – Tara Q

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Wines That Speak Elegantly of the South of France.” – Tara Q “Wines that speak elegantly of the South of France.” – Tara Q. Thomas, Wine & Spirits Tracing its roots back to 1912, Domaines Ott wines represent the best of Provence: beauty, heritage, and unsurpassed character. Today, fourth-generation cousins Christian and Jean-François Ott manage the three estates, totaling over 500 acres of vineyards, to produce wines of two appellations: Côtes de Provence and Bandol. Before a manual harvest, grapes are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides, respecting both the environment and the Provençal tradition—a nod to founder Marcel Ott’s enduring legacy. CHÂTEAU DE SELLE CÔTES DE PROVENCE ROSÉ 2019 CÔTES DE PROVENCE WITH A GRENACHE INFLUENCE FROM OTT’S VERY OWN ROCKY SOILS. Château de Selle falls within the Côtes de Provence appellation, RESPECT FOR THE SOIL located inland on limestone hillsides, enjoying abundant sunshine. Each Domaines Ott estate is cultivated in a way The proportion of stone in the soil is 40 to 50 percent, making it that fully respects nature. The soil is nurtured an arid soil and, despite the presence of some extremely fertile without chemicals or intensive production clay deposits, yields are low. Château de Selle has an area of techniques. The products used to treat the most 345 acres, of which 160 acres are planted. Year after year, the common vine diseases are made from a naturally- cultivated area of the estate wins over part of the rocky terrain. occurring combination of sulphur and Bordeaux mixture (a blend of copper, slaked lime and black The earth is mechanically tilled while retaining a natural balance, soap), as these are the only treatments allowed in the original proportion of stone being maintained after crushing. organic farming. 96 pts | Wine & Spirits | August 2020 “... this one seems to have packaged up a Mediterranean breeze along Blend: 56% Grenache, 25% Cinsault, with the scents of strawberries and garrigue, unleashing it with every sip... 8% Mourvedre, 11% Syrah a rosé that channels the place it’s grown in an elegant and understated way, yet with a persistence that speaks to its structure and strength..” CHÂTEAU ROMASSAN BANDOL ROSÉ 2019 THE COMBINATION OF MOURVÈDRE GROWN IN LIMESTONE AND LONGER AGING IN OAK CASKS PRODUCE AN AGE-WORTHY ROSÉ. Château Romassan is located in the Bandol appellation and lies at THE VINTAGE the foot of the village of Le Castellet. The soil is poor, composed of limestone, sandstone, and marine upper cretaceous marls. 2019 began with a heatwave in February which is quite unusual for this time of the year. This was The Bandol appellation is known for its terraced landscapes then followed by unusually cold weather in April built from the hard stone with vines, which are planted into and May which slowed the vine’s growing cycle. vast terraces with varying exposures. The sea air from the bay The weather settled during the flowering phase of Bandol compensates for the terroir’s acidity and low rainfall. with warm, sunny weather and slightly cool nights. The winery is located on 148 acres, which are fully devoted to We had to observe and adapt to the vine on a wine production. Cultivation methods are traditional and the daily basis in order to give it what it needed and soil is mechanically tilled and young shoots are trained with the save it from stress. The health of the grapes was excellent thanks to the consistently warm weather. greatest care to the plant. The harvests kicked off in mid-August and quality was excellent across all the domaines with good 93 pts | Wine Enthusiast | July 2020 balance and expression of the fruit. “The dominance of Bandol’s own Mourvèdre grape has given this wine density and structure as well as plenty of red fruits and a texture that will allow it to age. Drink the wine from late 2020.” Blend: 60% Mourvèdre, 25% Cinsault, 15% Grenache BY.OTT CÔTES DE PROVENCE ROSÉ 2019 PRODUCED WITH ALL THE SAVOIR-FAIRE OF THE DOMAINES OTT TEAM IN THE NEWLY-CONSTRUCTED CELLAR OF CHÂTEAU DE SELLE. A refined and elegant wine for any rosé enthusiast. The blends originate from select vineyards in Côtes de Provence that have been chosen to ensure that the wine is characterized by fruit and freshness with added finesse and complexity. Blend: 60% Grenache, 25% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre Imported exclusively by Maisons Marques & Domaines | mmdusa.net.
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