Provence
Saint Roch les Vignes, Côtes de Provence
Winegrowing in and around the Provençal village of Cuers dates back to the 6th century B.C. when Greek settlers planted the first vines. The Romans further developed grape culture here, and to this day the area is still recognized as one of the region’s best terroirs.
Saint Roch les Vignes is not an individual domaine, but rather a modern production facility in Cuers serving most of the family winegrowers in that small hillside village, as well as those of neighboring Puget-Ville and Pierrefeu northeast of Toulon. Built in 1911 with the combined effort and assets of 143 growers, the winery was upgraded with state-of-the-art equipment in recent years and now handles vinification for more than 200 local vignerons. The wines of Saint Roch are held to a higher standard than normal French cooperative wineries, as growers must not only adhere to Appellation Contrôlée laws, but also meet the quality standards of the Maîtres Vignerons de Saint Tropez, who oversee Saint Roch's international sales and marketing. This group consists of seven highly-regarded, limited production Côtes de Provence domaines headed by Edgar Pascaud, proprietor and director of Château de Pampelonne.
The Saint Roch les Vignes Côtes de Provence Rosé is France’s quintessential quaffer. An unadulterated blend of Grenache and Cinsault, this excellent import value is the perfect summer wine to share in the shade.
Domaine Facts
| Vines: | 225 acres from select domaines in the villages of Cuers, Puget-Ville and Pierrefeu Sustainably farmed (lutte raisonnée) – Average age of vines is 30 years-old |
| Wines: | Côtes de Provence Rosé – 50% Cinsault, 50% Grenache Côtes de Provence Rouge – Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan Note: Saint Roch Rouge not currently imported by JWS |
| Soil: | Clay and calcareous (sedimentary) rock |
| Yields: | 55 hectoliters/hectare on average |
| Vinification: | All fruit is destemmed. The rosé is a combination of direct pneumatic press juice and saignée from red wine production. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. No malo-lactic. Aged 5 months in temp-controlled inox tanks before being filtered with kieselghur (powdery diatomaceous earth) and bottled in February. |
| Annual Production: | 360,000 bottles / 30,000 cases |