Mas de Valériole
Winemakers
Maxime Michel
Type of agriculture
Organic
Vineyard area
22 ha
Country, Region, Subregion
France, Provence, Arles
Wines
The Mas de Valériole estate, built by a doctor in 1427 (François de Valériole) is now home to 4 generations of the Michel family, living and working together on the estate since 1950.
Brother's Jean-Paul & Patrick handle the farming: JP looks after the grains, with Patrick in the vines. Patrick was joined by his son Maxime in 2015, and together they are responsible for 22 hectares in the heart of the Camargue national park, grown organically since 2006.
Planted on calcareous soils deposited by the Rhône; the Mistral wind blows cold & dry from the North West, the sea breeze from the South-East provides much needed rain. They prefer to harvest early in the morning, aiming to retain as much freshness as possible. Bunches are destemmed, vinification & ageing take place in concrete vats and 400L barrels, depending on the vintage's requirements.
Classic Provencal rosé, just as you’d want it. Little berries on a salty breeze. As Tom says: yacht rock rosé.