The estate is the Provence emblem of a preserved biodiversity and recognized organic farming. 

The vineyard comprises 100 hectares of vines on a single, unfragmented unit. Located at the foot of the montagne de la Loube mountain in the valley of Engardin, the vines benefit from a micro-climate which contributes substantially to the variety and rich character so amply demonstrated by Château de l’Escarelle wines.

The limestone soil is ideal for making wines characterized by minerality, imbuing the whites and rosés with elegance and the reds with superb complexity. Many of the reds are designed for cellaring.

Eight grape varieties are used to produce Château de l’Escarelle wines: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rolle, Ugni Blanc and Chardonnay.

WINEMAKING

Concrete wine tanks dating from 1900 were fully restored in 2014 and are now used to make the rosé and white wines.

Hi-tech stainless-steel vats, first used to produce our 2016 wines, are amongst the most advanced on the market and can be regulated with incredible precision. They are used to make the red wines.

A gentle approach to wine-making helps to conserve as much of the wine’s character as possible: gentle pressing cycles and the use of the gravity flow method.

The high-end rosé wines are harvested by hand, the grapes are sorted not just once, but twice. Pressing and cold stabilization follow. The fermentation process is temperature-controlled at all times to help preserve the wine’s flavours and ensure it retains its subtle character. Ageing on fine lees follows in order to enhance the singular character of each wine.

The fermentation of the whites take place in new barrels, followed by aging for one year with batonnage (lees stirring) in one- or two-year old barrels, while the reds age in new barrels for 12 to 24 months depending on the characteristics of the wine in question.

ADDITIONAL INFO

Name of Owner(s): Yann Pineau

Name of Winemaker: Patrick Lobier