Chāteau Routas Wines

Provence, France

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

The Chateau Routas soil varies dramatically, resulting in small vineyards that are often unusually shaped. Some plots are red as crushed brick, while others are of crumbly grey limestone mixed with bright red stones that bleach in the hot summer sun. At 1,300 feet above sea level, the elevation is among the appellation’s highest, providing cool nights that slow the ripening of the grapes, contributing complexity and dictating harvests that are up to a month later than those below.