Château Minuty

Château Minuty has been a famous name in Provence since it was built in the mid-1800s, but when it was taken over by Gabriel Farnet (grandfather of the current owners) in 1936, it quickly became recognised as one of the region’s benchmark properties. This status was confirmed in 1955 when Minuty became one of just 14 Châteaux in Provence to be designated Cru Classé.

Today Jean-Etienne and François run the estate, continuing the family's focus on quality by reducing yields, building a new winery, replanting their Carignan and Ugni-Blanc with Grenache Noir and Vermentino and pioneering the use of pressurage direct in the production of their rosé wines. This involves taking the first free-run juice that is released by loading the press with the grapes. The weight of the fruit is enough to bring about a light pressing and this premium juice is run off to be fermented separately, giving a rosé wine with sumptuous texture and elegance. The ‘M’ de Minuty Rosé (in its world famous curved bottle) is made using 70% pressurage direct, while the ‘Rose et Or’ cuvée is made solely from this technique and is a rosé wine to rival any in the world.

Although 70% of production is given over to their rosé wines, there are also some excellent whites and a rich, silky red. These are serious, complex wines that are perfectly suited to the cuisine of the region and a permanent fixture on the most prestigious wine lists of the Côte d’Azur.