With origins in Barcelonnette (Hautes-Provence) and part of the Provencal nobility since 1421, the Gassier family bought Château Gassier and its 40 hectares (99 acres) of vines in 1982. Today the vineyard is managed by Georges Gassier, who represents the fifth winegrowing generation of the family, working with the support from his father. Passion, hard work and know-how have developed over time at Château Gassier, allowing the estate to demonstrate its exceptional potential for excellence. The signature style — round and elegant — echoes throughout the entire range of rosé wines that carefully reflect the best of the Sainte-Victoire terroir.
In perfect harmony with nature, the vineyards of Provence stretch from the Mediterranean coast towards the north of Nice.
Nestling in 40 hectares of vines at the foot of the Mount Sainte-Victoire and just a few kilometers from Aix en Provence, Gassier occupies a privileged position at the crossing of the three Provence appellations.
The terroir of Château Gassier
We can find four main terroirs on the estate located at 330 meters of altitude:
- to the West, the soil made of sillty sand is ideal for Syrah;
- to the South, the dry and rocky land with little depth receives black Grenache and Vermentino (Rolle);
- to the East, the bottom of the slopes, deep and rocky are perfect for Cinsault;
- to the North, the clay and limestone soil overides a sandstone slab which is convenient for Grenache.
In order to gain a better knowledge of our terroir and define the most suitable soils for the grape variety we dug 17 pedological cavities.
The harvest takes place very early in the morning to retain the freshness in the grapes. The grapes are then destemmed and vinified by direct press and short pellicle maceration. The recent investments in equipment allow us to keep the grapes away from oxygen during the press and therefore protect the aromas which gives its fruitiness to the wine.