Wine growing is the principal agricultural activity of Châteauvert where four vineyards are in production : Château Margüi, Château Miraval, Château Routas, Les Vignobles de La Cloche.
This vineyard produces wines under the denominations AOC Côtes de Provence, AOC Côteaux Varois, Vins de Pays du Var.

The rosé, red and white wines are pressed from choice grapes such as Rolle, Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Cabernet, Cabernet-Sauvignon…

• Château Margüi

A new gem in the Coteaux Varois en Provence AOC. Having produced wine for centuries, Margüi fell into oblivion in 1970. Coming back to life in year 2000, it quickly expressed its impetuous personality : 2003, Château Margüi's first vintage, turned out to be very successful. In 2004, our Terroir confirms a great potential to access Coteaux Varois AOC, and the white makes the 2006 Hachette Guide with 2 stars. In the last few months, several Michelin-starred restaurants selected our wines on their lists ; vintage 2008 accesses full Organic certification and is crowned with numerous wine-contest prizes, including an "Overall Grand Prize" at Brignoles inter-region contest.

Rolling hills, vines, dry-stone walls, centuries-old tree avenue, monumental stairs, springs and pools : Château Margüi has been commanding over thousands of agricultural acres since roman times, in this south-west corner of the Bessillon ranges, where the Argens river digs deep into the Vallon Sourn's canyon.

Wine has been produced here from time immemorial, but the property suffered man's neglect since 1970. Nearly by chance did we come across this magnificent terroir of clay and limestone, offering wide varieties of granulometry, situations and exposures, and its uncompromising climate. Just like the Château (15th to 18th centuries), it was longing to be heard anew.

We were starting from scratch, but most of our plots were AOC Côteaux Varois classified. We thus were able to make strict vine species selection in accordance with each plot (Syrah, Cabernet, Rolle, Cinsault, Grenache). Soil preparation, plantations and culture for the 30 acre-vineyard and 7 acre olive-grove (Aglandaou and Frantoio with a view to a forthcoming olive oil AOC) were processed under strict observance of Bio Agriculture criteria. Emmanuel Gaujal and Laurence Berlemont, from Cabinet d'Agronomie Provençale, helped us all along the way.

Château Margüi reached its full production of around 60 000 bottles with the 2008 harvest. Olive oil was first pressed in 2009, still in very limited quantities. The construction of wine-making facilities, which started early 2003, is pursued along with the vineyard's coming to age, according to a simple line : modern wine-making tools under the irreplaceable shelter of our very old stones.

The owners : Marie-Christine and Philippe Guillanton, both in their forties, feel that wine and olive-growing are essential to bringing this beautiful estate back to life. The Château is also being renovated with strict respect of architectural authenticity lime coatings and colours, while provençal gardens are being recreated in the 18th century spirit.

Margüi's light, water and soil at least won't fail us : they are already giving us an original, bountiful and superb vegetable garden !

Château Margüi - Châteauvert 83670 Barjols
Tél / Fax +33 (0) 494 773 034 - Mobile +33 (0)610 265 625

• Domaine de Miraval

Dating from pre-Roman times, Miraval is approached down a long winding lane through woods and vineyards with dramatic glimpses of the distant "Gros Bésillon" mountain through the trees. The magnificent cascading stone-walled terraces are now replanted with thirteen different varieties of olives. Water seems to be everywhere flowing; from fountains; along aquaducts; through hidden tunnels; into the moat and filling the lake.

The estate, situated at an altitude of 350 meters (1150 ft.), extends to 400 HA (1000 acres) with 30 HA (75 acres) devoted to vines. The vineyards flourish on the valley floor, protected by the surrounding forest of evergreen and white oak, and parasol, aleppo and maritime pine.

Over the past ten years many of the old vineyards have been replanted and new vineyards created between the two appellations of Côtes de Provence and Côteaux Varois. Total vineyard size is now 30 hectares (75 acres).

The oldest vines on the property are Cinsaut. This particular strain of Cinsaut is one which gives the distinctive flavour and elegance to Miraval's Rosé.

Terre Blanche vineyard was created expressly to grow Rolle as the conditions of soil, gently sloping south-facing land, and exposure to the Mistral - the unpredictable wind from the Rhone valley - were all ideal for this white grape varietal.

The remaining vineyards are divided between Syrah, Grenache Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenach Noir.

Château Miraval -  / Pas de visites possibles...
Tél +33 (0)494 863 933 - Fax +33 (0)494 864 679

• Château Routas

The  location of Routas is spectacular; in the heart of Provence,  equidistant from the French Riviera on the Mediterranean coast and the  foothills of the Alps. It is surrounded by  tiny medieval villages that cling to steep cliffs and overlooks miles of  spectacular hillsides, woods and rivers.

Currently  12,000 cases are produced of Rhone-style, estate-grown and bottled wines that  have been met with positive comment since their first vintage in 1992.
In 2005 Scotland's Sir  David Murray took ownership, ushering in a new era for Château Routas.

AOC Côteaux Varois en  Provence  attained its official status in 1993. The region  encompasses a wide variety of soils and elevations, with Château Routas  situated at the center, about an hour north of Bandol.

Well known among rock  climbers for its limestone cliffs, the Varois is gaining recognition as a wine  region through the efforts of serious producers like Château Routas. The  region's reds can display a robust, Rhone-like richness, and its whites show  breeding and verve.

Château Routas abounds  in the agricultural diversity that is key to vine health. The estate's 260 hectares  encompass wheat fields and olive trees, and black truffles stud the earth. Red poppies give way to brilliant  yellow sunflowers, and in the fall,  the surrounding forests yield abundant mushrooms-cepes (porcini), fragile  girolles, and morels. Helpful insects play their part in keeping the vines  disease-free. The terrain is punctuated by a stunning geological anomaly, the  885-deep Infernet Hole (Devil's Hole), a canyon thought to have been created by  a meteor collision. The hole is a favorite refuge of the local wild boars,  which are unfortunately a little too fond of the Château Routas grapes!

Château Routas - Châteauvert - 83149 Bras
Tél. 33 (0) 494 699 392 - Fax 33 (0) 494 699 361

• Les Domaines de la Bessonne et de la Cloche

Les Vignobles de La Cloche - 83670 Châteauvert
Tél. 33 (0) 494 770 836 - Fax 33 (0) 494 770 836