When one approaches Domaine de la Croix, one hesitates ... The buildings of the domain have the purest Provençal style and are surrounded with a sea of vines. A high-end holiday resort, heaven on earth? The building actually hides a state-of-the-art underground production site, equipped with the best technology for the crafting of AOC Provence fine wines.
At the heart of the prestigious peninsula of Saint-Tropez, an effervescent city on the Côte d'Azur, two domains cultivate the secret, at the heart of a paradise of hillsides facing the sea: the Domaine de la Croix and de La Bastide Blanche. Vincent Bolloré, very attached to the region, had a crush for these estates fallen into disuse. The eponymous group purchased them in 2001 with the prior objective to make them reconnect with their prestigious past. And appointed manager a leading woman, Pascale Andrieux.
Domaine de la Croix, with its 100 hectares of vineyards, is one of the only 18 Crus Classés of Provence in 1955. Created in 1882, it gave its name to the village of La Croix-Valmer which developed all around. Spreading out from Tabarin to the hillsides of Saunier, the vineyard is the vastest Cru Classé. Its little sister La Bastide Blanche, in AOC Provence, is composed of 15 hectares nestled in a protected setting between the Cape Taillat and the Cape Lardier.
The terroir benefits from an exceptional exposure to the sun and the maritime influences all year round. To make the most of this blessed land, the Bolloré group undertook huge works as from 2002. The rehabilitation of Domaine de la Croix began with the replanting of the vine (80% of the old vines were pulled up). The terroir has been recomposed and optimized in an environmental approach. The poor and slaty lands are ideal for Grenache, Cinsault. Shiraz and Cabernet express on more clayey soils. The sandy soils are reserved for Rolle, Mourvèdre and Tibouren.
Sustainable management, strong densities, vine tying and short pruning, manual grape harvest in crates with sorting in the vineyards contribute to the production of a high-quality raw material. The management of the domains is Pascale Andrieux's mission. For the wine making, the domains called Michel Rolland, famous enologist from Bordeaux.
To accompany the relaunching and guarantee the production of the best wines, the Bolloré group equipped the domain with a high tech cellar. Buildings were transformed by Saint-Tropez architect François Vieillecroze. To not distort the building and its environment, the technical installations were fitted out underground on two levels with 3,000 sq. m. of vatroom, a barrel cellar, supporting the tasting room.
After having been the rising star of wines of Provence, Domaine de la Croix now is blooming. Regularly awarded as from the first vintages, the wines confirm their rank of Cru Classé by their finesse, their freshness, their elegance. Willing to class its wines, particularly the rosés, as the jewels of the appellation, Domaine de La Croix launched Organdi, 70 % of Grenache, 20 % of Cinsault and 10 % of Mourvèdre.
Eloge, the prestige cuvée of Domaine de La Croix—available in red and white—symbolizes the finesse, the elegance of the exceptionnal light and filtering soils of the property. The grapes stem from the best plots of land, defruited for a low yield, and are hand-picked in crates. The vinification is very precise. After cooling the harvest with dry ice and after inert pressing, only the first juices are kept. The red wine ages 12 months in Burgundy barrels and French oak tuns.
More than a wine, the domains de La Croix and de la Bastide Blanche cultivate a sophisticated art de vivre, Provence wine in its most beautiful expression.
Sylvia van der Velden
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