Château Calissanne - Rocher Rouge 2012

Calissanne is located in Lançon-de-Provence. This very large Provençal estate spans 1,100 hectares, including 110 hectares of vineyards and 60 hectares of olive groves, forming a single, contiguous, south-facing cultivation area. The terroir consists of brown, stony, well-drained soils over Urgonian limestone colluvium, which are ideally suited for growing grapes and olives. Planted on gently sloping hillsides across 25 plots, 11 grape varieties contribute to the production of Calissanne’s wines. Legend has it that the famous calissons of Aix—a sweet made from almond paste—take their name from a hillside in Calissanne that was once planted with almond trees.

Once a Celtic-Ligurian stronghold, La Calissanne was owned by the Order of Malta in the 13th and 14th centuries, by a member of the Aix Parliament in the 17th century, by a soap manufacturer in the 19th century, and finally, in 2001, by businessman Philippe Kessler, who passed away in 2008. Today, it is Sophie, his wife, who manages this vast 1,000-hectare estate, which includes about 100 hectares of vineyards spread across 25 plots of gently sloping, stony hillsides. A pillar of the Coteaux-d’Aix AOC, led by Jean Bonnet, the technical director, who for the past twenty-five years has been conducting in-depth research on vineyard planting policies and maintenance.
Jean Bonnet, with the help of Denis Lang, planted a 1.8-hectare plot of Mourvèdre in 1996 on the estate’s stony soil. Nearly twenty years later, the result proves that the choice was a wise one. This Rocher Rouge brings the estate its… thirteenth “ Favorite ”! On the nose, complex, generous, and distinctly characteristic aromas of leather, ZAN, garrigue, and ripe fruit. In perfect harmony, the palate—concentrated to perfection, smooth, and silky—rests on a solid tannic structure, supported by perfectly balanced aging. A wine with a strong character, thoughtfully crafted and masterfully executed from start to finish.

Once a Celtic-Ligurian stronghold, La Calissanne was owned by the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem in the Middle Ages, by a parliamentarian from Aix in the 17th century, by a soap manufacturer in the 19th century, and finally, in 2001, by businessman Philippe Kessler, who passed away in 2008. Today, Sophie Kessler-Matière, his wife, manages this vast 1,200-hectare estate, which includes 60 hectares of olive groves and about 100 hectares of vineyards, spread across 25 plots of gently sloping, stony hillsides. This cornerstone of the Côteaux-d’Aix AOC—managed for twenty-five years by Jean Bonnet, who conducted an in-depth analysis of the vineyard’s planting strategy and maintenance—is now led by Christophe Barraud.