Château Romassan is located in the middle of the Bandol district, in the western part of the Var department. The subsoil here mainly consists of marl, sandstone and lime deposits which, combined with the area’s very special climate with plenty of sun and heat, but also cool winds from the Mediterranean, provide very favorable conditions for wine growing. Today there are over 70 ha. vineyards at Château Romassan planted with Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah.
Château Romassan Rosé is composed of 50-60% Mourvèdre, 20-25% Cinsault, 20-25% Grenache and a little Syrah. It gives a very aromatic, complex and harmonious rosé wine. It is initially quite soft and fruity in the mouth, with crisp notes of citrus fruits and white peaches, but quite quickly it develops a structured and spicy taste, with nuances of freshly picked red berries – classic for Bandol rosé and not least for Ott. It leaves a lasting and harmonious aftertaste.
Its crispness and clean style make it perfect for fish or poultry in sauce, exotic dishes with seafood or veal. It should not be served too cold – 10-12 degrees is the ideal temperature.
Ott is first and foremost the name of the family that founded the most prestigious winery in Provence – Domaines Ott, and not least those who know French will probably notice that “Domaines” here is written with an “s” at the end and thus indicates plural. Domaines Ott thus consists of three different, independent properties: Château Romassan in AOP Bandol and Château de Selle and Clos Mireille in AOP Côtes de Provence.
Back in 1896, the young agronomist Marcel Ott from Alsace embarked on a tour of France’s wine regions, where he trained in wine production. The journey finally ended in Provence, and in 1912 he found an estate, Château de Selle near Draguignan, which really inspired him and which he subsequently acquired. In 1930 he bought Clos Mireille at Brégançon and finally in 1956 Château Romassan in Bandol was added to the family’s portfolio of distinguished properties.
From the start, Marcel Ott had a single-minded ambition to create the best Provence wines from noble grape varieties, and he was in many ways a true pioneer in the area, which i.a. also meant that only organic fertilizers should be used in the vineyards and that the wines should be fermented with the grapes’ own natural yeast cells.
In 2004, Champagne Louis Roederer took over the majority of Domaines Ott – partly to secure the winery’s long-term future, partly to maintain its position as the most prestigious producer in Provence. However, the Ott family is still at the forefront in relation to the day-to-day management, currently represented by Jean-François Ott, who is the 4th generation in Domaines Ott.
