Château Romassan Bandol Rosé 2021 / Bandol, France

Domaines Ott was founded in 1912 by Alsatian engineer Marcel Ott. Today, the wineries are owned and managed by Champagne Louis Roederer, producing some of the world’s most prestigious wines. These wines are made at three distinctively different estates: Château Romassan (Bandol), Clos Mireille, and Château de Selle (both Côtes de Provence).

Château Romassan is located in the Bandol appellation and lies at the foot of the village of Le Castellet. The soil is poor, composed of limestone, sandstone, and marine upper cretaceous marls. The Bandol appellation is known for its terraced landscapes built from the hard stone with vines, which are planted into vast terraces with varying exposures. The sea air from the bay of Bandol compensates for the terroir's acidity and low rainfall. The winery is located on 148 acres, which are fully devoted to wine production. Cultivation methods are traditional and the soil is mechanically tilled and young shoots are trained with the greatest care to the plant.

Winemaking

The grapes are all handpicked and go through a stringent selective grape sorting, followed by an extremely delicate pressing process. Fermentation is done in thermo-regulated vats followed by aging in oak casks for six to eight months.

Tasting Notes

This 2020 reveals a brilliant light peach hue and a lovely aromatic intensity. The nose is fresh and fruity with hints of peach and grapefruit. After aeration, aromas of white flesh fruits start to emerge and are set off by some fine spicy notes. The palate is complex and luscious, buoyed by flavours of citrus and wild peaches. A touch of acidity on the finish gives this big and refined wine a pleasant persistence.

Harvest Notes

2020 was another year characterized by particularly mild annual temperatures. The average 800mm of rainfall was concentrated mainly from October to March. After a very mild winter, budburst was observed in the first fortnight of March. The mild weather at the end of May ensured a perfect flowering. The emergence of the clusters was uniform in all the vineyards. June brought long hot days. Due to the healthy conditions, we decided to stop our natural treatments, as well as the ploughing work, to prevent any stress to the vines, which continued along their life cycle, accompanied by hot summer days. We started harvesting on August 12th to ensure that the 2020 vintage would have perfect balance and freshness.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Varietals: 60% Mourvèdre, 20% Cinsault, 20% Grenache