Chateau de l'Aumerade 'Aumerade Style', Cotes de Provence

Producer Note

The Château de l'Aumérade is a 400 year old estate located in in the heart of Provence. Originally belonging to the Aumerat family, the traditional Mas property dates back to the Renaissance period. In 1594, the Duke of Sully, Henry VI's finance minister, presented the Château with a Mulberry tree and Plane trees for their luxurious gardens, as a gift for supplying the Royal Court. In 1930, a young Henri Fabre and his wife Charlotte, fell in love with the Château de l'Aumérade, with its 300 hectares of estate vineyards and purchased it from the Aumerat family. The Château was designated as a Cru Classé when the Provence appellation was created in 1955, a system classifying the wine estate rather than the vineyard area. It is one of only 18 that still remain in the designation. The Château has been handed down though the family and is currently run by Caroline Demey.

Vineyard

The soils are predominantly clay limestone, which helps to impart a spicy mineral character to the final wine. The vines receive cooling ventilation from the salty Mistral winds blowing in from the sea just a few miles away.

Winemaking

The harvest took place at the beginning of September and the grapes were immediately de-stemmed. The Fabre family introduced an innovative way to transport the berries to the press by gravity, via refrigerated tubes thus preserving all the aromatics. The berries were gently pressed; the juice was carefully selected and cooled to 13°C. Following a static settling, a 10 day alcoholic fermentation took place under temperature controlled conditions of between 17 and 22°C, preserving the integrity of the primary flavours. Racking and blending took place at the end of the year with tartaric stabilisation and filtration.

Tasting Note

Pale salmon in colour, this is the quintessential Provence rosé. A refreshingly fruity bouquet leads to delicate white spice and mineral flavours on the palate and an elegant finish.

Serving Suggestion

A wonderfully elegant apéritif, serve with light salads, grilled meats and fresh seafood dishes.

Grape

Grenache 40%, Cinsault 30%, Syrah 30%