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!"
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
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.