Chateau Routas is situated within the “Coteaux Varois en Provence”, a key appellation of the Provence wine region in the far South East of France. The estate is nestled between the old town elegance of Aix-en-Provence, and the white sand beaches that line the Gulf de Saint Tropez.
The 290 hectares encompass wheat fields and olive trees, and black truffles stud the earth. Red poppies give way to brilliant yellow sunflowers, and in the fall, the surrounding forests yield abundant mushrooms-cepes (porcini), fragile girolles, and morels. Helpful insects play their part in keeping the vines disease-free. The soil varies dramatically, resulting in small vineyards that are often unusually shaped. Some plots are red as crushed brick, while others are of crumbly grey limestone mixed with bright red stones that bleach in the hot summer sun. The elevation is among Provence’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 nearer the coast.
- Rosé