Domaines Ott Château de
Selle Côtes de Provence Cru Classe' Mourvedre Blend Rose' 2020
We discovered and experienced this wine as part to the Premium Wine Pairing at Three Michelin Star Alinea restaurant earlier in the year. The entire dinner and wine flight are featured in this blogpost - Magnificent Dinner at Alinea Kitchen Table. From that experience, son Ryan acquired this and brought to our Memorial Day afternoon cook-out dinner on the deck for casual summer sipping.
The Ott family own and manage three estates in two appellations in the wine growing region of Provence that sits along the Mediterranean coast of
France, bordered by the Rhone River to the west and the Cote d’Azur on
the east. The three estates combined
produce a somewhat miniscule 800,000 bottles each year.
The family business is managed by cousins Christian and Jean-François Ott. In 2004, Domaines Ott joined Louis
Roederer and its extensive selection of wine craftsmen. Jean-François Ott and his team continues "the unique savoir-faire of
four generations of artisan-vignerons in the complete respect of nature. Inspired
by an unchanged mission since the creation of the Domaines by Marcel
Ott in 1896, they have constantly pursued their unique and free vision
of the expression of the terroirs of Provence."
Founder Marcel Ott, a graduate in agricultural
engineering from Alsace, toured France’s vineyards in search of the
perfect estate. At the time, phylloxera had destroyed much of the
region’s vineyards and nearly crippled the wine industry. Hence, land was
inexpensive since many of the vineyards would need replanting. Undeterred, Ott found a site, Chateau de
Selle in 1912. After acquiring the estate and completely renovating it, he
reconstructed and replanted the vineyards. His passion and determination led to the acquisition of two more estates and the
beginning of the Domaines Ott legacy.
Family Ott acquired Château Romassan in 1956. They then spent the next thirty years re-developing the property, gaining experience with the old Château Romassan to produce great
wines typical of the Bandol AOC appellation. They entirely replanted the estate with
noble grape varieties in small plots that were reorganized and leveled to
create terraced vineyards. The superb 18th-century building overlooking
the vineyard was also completely renovated.
Château Romassan sits at the foot of the hilltop village Le Castellet, a
few miles north of the City of and Bay of Bandol in the south of France. This estate is located in the west of the Var
department, in the heart of the celebrated Bandol winemaking region. The Mediterranean climate and the poor limestone and sandstone soils produce deep savory
wines.
We drove through the region and the area vineyards during our Rhone Wine Experience in 2019.
Mourvèdre is the region's and estate’s primary grape variety. Indigenous to the area,
it is particularly suited to the arid climate and austere soil. Its
calm temperament is revealed in the strength of its harmonies, its
robust structure and its staying power both on the palate and in the
cellar. Producer Otts rely on mourvèdre for
the bulk of their rosé (this one includes 30 percent cinsault and 15
percent grenache).
Domaines Ott Château de
Selle Côtes de Provence Cru Classe Mourvedre Blend Rose' 2020
The 2020 Bandol Rose Château de Selle is mainly Mourvèdre (60%) with smaller proportions of Cinsault (20%), and Grenache (20%). Many vintages also contain small amounts of Syrah. The vines have an average age of 25 years across the 180 acres of the estate. The vines draw their personality from the
vineyard’s unique and distinguished soil. Chalk, sandstone and marl
underlain with gravel, this singular land with its sun-drenched and
particularly dry micro-climate produces sophisticated and very powerful
wines.
This is blended and bottled in the new Château de Selle cellar, where
part of the winery is exclusively devoted to its production. The entire
process is controlled from blending to through storage ensuring the highest achievable quality expected of these wines.
Winemaker Notes - "Its pale, ethereal pink color tinted with gold or orange, releases a bouquet of citrus fruits and white orchard flowers. On the palate, the immediate effect is lively and bright, revealing notes of pink grapefruit, fleshy fruit and, once the wine has had a chance to breathe, hints of fruit tart. The finish is complex and lasting.'
"This
2020 reveals a brilliant light peach hue and a lovely aromatic
intensity. The nose is fresh and fruity with hints of peach and
grapefruit. After aeration, aromas of white flesh fruits start to emerge
and are set off by some fine spicy notes. The palate is complex and
luscious, buoyed by flavours of citrus and wild peaches. A touch of
acidity on the finish gives this big and refined wine a pleasant
persistence."
The 2021 was awarded 96 points by Wine & Spirits. This 2020 was awarded 93 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Vinous and Wine Enthusiast.
Opaque pink and light copper colored, medium bodied, firm and structured, complex, bright crisp core of peach, mineral and citrus flavors with a backbone of notes of wet stone and smokey roasted nuts, turning to what Josh Reynolds of Vinous refers to as "a repeating mineral note and a late hint of tarragon", and what Robert Parker describes as "zesty-briny and stony on the finish" in their reviews of the '21.
RM 92 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3956435
https://www.domaines-ott.com/en
