Winemaker Notes
Chateau de Berne is a 1,500-acre private estate, situated in the heart of rural Provence but still only 25 miles north of St Tropez, close to the village of Lorgues. Dating back to the 18th century, it is a truly exceptional site, promoting relaxation and wellbeing around two main themes: Provence and Wine. It is the ideal choice for today's Wine Tourism travellers.
An idyllic destination : The Chateau de Berne is a genuine haven of peace and hospitality with a 5-star hotel "Relais & Chateaux", a Cinq Mondes Spa, a gastronomic restaurant from local celebrity chef Benjamin Collombat, a wine visitor centre and cellar tour as well as access to a wide range of leisure and sports activities on our 1500-acre of unspoilt wilderness. Chateau de Berne is truly a unique place.
Due to the work of all the Chateau de Berne's team, the wines are among the most recognized and appreciated wines from Provence with fantastic critical ratings and unique bottle shapes, including the iconic square bottle. They ask that you, "Come and visit us in Provence!"
Cotes de Provence is an extensive but valuable appellation that includes vineyards bordering the main Provencal appellations. Its sites vary from subalpine hills, which receive the cooling effects of the mountains to the north, to the coastal St-Tropez, a region mainly influenced by the warm Mediterranean sunshine.
Here the focus is on quality rosé, as it defines four fifths of the region’s wines. Following in the rosé footsteps, a lot of new effort is going into the region’s red production as well. A new generation has turned its focus on high quality Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Carignan. Cotes de Provence white wines, which represent a miniscule part of the region as far as volume, are nonetheless worthy of consideration and can include any combination of Clairette, Semillon, Ugni Blanc and Vermentino.
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.