Château Romassan is located in the middle of the Bandol district, in the western part of the Var department. The subsoil here consists mainly of marl, sandstone and lime deposits. This, combined with the area’s very special climate with lots of sun and heat, but also cool winds from the Mediterranean, provide favorable conditions for wine growing. Today there are over 70 ha. vineyards at Château Romassan, with Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Grenache. The grapes for this wine – Mourvèdre (85-90%) and Syrah – are hand-picked and undergo a double selection, partly when they are picked, partly when they arrive in the cellar. After fermentation, the wine is transferred to large wooden barrels, where it matures for 18-20 months.
Mourvèdre gives the wine its spicy and wild character in the aroma, with nuances of wild cherry and blackcurrant, and a nice structure in the taste. The very aromatic, spicy notes come from the Syrah grape, which also strengthens the nerve in the wine and gives it nice notes of licorice at the end. A very harmonious wine.
Serve the red Château Romassan with grilled beef, roast game, leg of lamb and strong, firm cheeses.
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.
