The winery is located in the municipality of Meyreuil in the French Provence. Monks of the Carmelite order planted the vineyards here in the 16th century, dug the cellar into the mountain and built the château. At that time, it was owned by the "wine king" René of Anjou, the Count of Provence. It has been in the hands of the sixth generation of the Rougier family since 1850. Today it is run by René Rougier and his son Jean-François. The total estate covers 100 hectares, of which 17 hectares are used for viticulture. These make up a considerable part of the Palette appellation.
The varieties cultivated are Grenache Noir (Garnacha Tinta), Mourvèdre (Monastrell), Cinsaut, Téoulier Noir, Clairette Blanche, Ugni Blanc (Trebbiano), Grenache Blanc (Garnacha Blanca) and Muscat Blanc, some of which are mixed varieties. The vines are very old, the oldest dating back to 1891, and René Rougier, who has managed the estate since 1952, has never replaced a single vine. The rustic wines are vinified traditionally with long fermentation and little new wood. The extremely long-lasting white wine consists mainly of Clairette Blanche (80%), ferments in wooden barrels and is aged for up to two years. However, the château first became famous for its rosé made from Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre and Cinsaut. The long-lasting and tannin-rich red wine is blended from numerous varieties, mainly from Mourvèdre.
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Roman Horvath MW
Domäne Wachau (Wachau)