CHATEAU DES BERTRANDS

AOP Cotes de Provence, France

A former hunting lodge owned by Colbert, Chateau des Bertrands is a 494-acre estate located at the heart of the Natura 2000 protected areas. A natural reserve for the rare Hermann Tortoise set at the foot of the Maures hill chain. The vineyard, entirely designed from 1964 onwards, now spans 208 acres, 50 of which were planted in 2012. Its grape varieties have been chosen with care of the years. Chateau des Bertrands is a little jewel of Provence set near the Mediterranean coast. It was brought up by Les Vignobles de Berne in 2010, and is now well on the way to becoming one of the Var's foremost vineyards.

Protected by the Maures hill chain, the vineyard benefits from a hot, dry climate which motivated the instillation of a drip irrigation system in 2012. With an average of 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, precipitations of between 600-800mm and 50 days of wine, Chateau des Bertrands' environment is particularly conducive to wine-growing.

Typical of the geology of the Maures hill chain, the soil is stony and made up of pink sandstone and earth mixed with sand. Situated on the Permian depression stretching from Toulon to Frejus, this area of the Maures Plain is dotted with underlying rocks that model the landscape, resulting in a dry and fairly well-drained soil ideal for healthy growth year in and year out. Its high porosity in certain zones limits temperature variations between the day and night, hence improving grape ripening conditions. This soil also produces wines with delightful mineral aromas.

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