2023/24 Château Margüi Rosé, Coteaux Varois en Provence, Provence, France
ABOUT THIS WINE
Grapes are hand-picked at night or early morning into small 25 kg crates to prevent premature oxidation and preserve freshness. The fruit undergoes a meticulous sorting process followed by a cooling period of 6 to 12 hours. Depending on the grape variety, the must rests for 3 to 12 hours in cold maceration to extract ideal color and delicate aromatics. Then, the grapes are pressed gently in a pneumatic press at very low pressures to extract only the highest-quality, free-run juice. Following a 48-hour resting and settling period, the wine ferments at roughly 18 degrees celsius, using 100% natural yeasts.Maturation takes place over 5 months in stainless steel tanks to maintain its crisp, fruit-forward, and mineral profile.
ABOUT THIS PRODUCER
Chateau Margüi is one of the olders and most prestigious wineries in Southern France. It sits in a calm magnificence in the bucolic wooded hills of the Coteaux de Varois in northern Provence, in the heart of "calcereous Provence." Its mineral-rich soils of limestone, clay, flint, and gravel combine with the Mediterranean-cooled southern French sun to offer the ideal setting to produce world-class red, white, and rosé wines. Château Margüi can trace its roots back to Roman times, having been established in around 600 BCE. While it was originally used to produce everything from wheat and oil to fruits and vegetables, over time, successive owners realized that the true calling of this stunning estate was wine. However, after the war, the estate was abandoned.
The long-neglected property has been lovingly restored by Philippe Guillanton. Phillipe’s wife, Marie-Christine, has completely supervised the restoration of the manor house and gardens while Phillipe’s attention has turned to wine. Consulting with local oenologists, Philippe has replanted the vineyards, neglected for over 20 years, and now has 30 hectares of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Cinsault, Rolle and Ugni Blanc, planted according to the specific terroirs.
In 2017, it was acquired by a new owner, a man who’d fallen in love with the property’s wines and the story behind them. That man was none other than storyteller extraordinaire George Lucas, who now owns the estate. In keeping with the Skywalker Vineyards' philosophy, Margüi produces wines organically. The vineyard is certified organic, and cultivation takes place without using chemical treatments. In the winery, which was rebuilt in 2018, a non-interventionist approach is taken. This involves letting nature take its course while employing state-of-the-art technology, including amphorae-shaped fermentation tanks and gravity pumps, to give the wines the gentlest treatment.