Christopher is a winemaker at Domaine Sainte Marie in the Var region. Thoughtful, calm, and pragmatic, he embarked on his winemaking adventure 10 years ago. He tells us his story, his work, and his passion: “ It’s an incredible opportunity to be in charge of these 40 hectares in such a beautiful location. It’s a fascinating profession where it’s possible to blend our personal sensibilities, our personal lives, and our tastes to transform grapes into wine. It goes far beyond simple operations. I’m beginning to understand that. It’s a true sharing. ”

The Sainte Marie estate: a father-son adventure

The adventure began in 2007: Christopher and his father wanted to embark on an agricultural project together in southeastern France . In this region, vineyards are predominant, and it was only natural that they became owners of Domaine Sainte Marie in the Var department, in the commune of Bormes-Les-Mimosas. " It was an opportunity to do something with my father, to have a project that we both liked, " Christopher explains.

At the time of purchase, the estate was sorely lacking in investment. " There was a major restructuring challenge ," explains Christopher. Replanting, modernization, and investment were necessary to restore the vines to health and establish an efficient winery.

Today Christopher, surrounded by 7 employees, manages the estate alone. Together, they work the 40 hectares of vines and transform the grapes into wines: " It's a magical activity. You go from a raw product to a story that fascinates everyone, " he says.

" Thanks to organic farming, we've gotten closer to the product ."

Upon purchasing the estate, Christopher and his father embarked on the conversion to organic farming . " For me, it was a no-brainer; conversion could only bring us good things, " Christopher confides. However, the surprise has been considerable: " The results of our commitment to organic farming far exceed our initial ambitions. Thanks to everyone's work in meeting the specifications, we've gotten closer to understanding our subject. Today, awareness of the product is completely different, " Christopher observes. " Ultimately, with organic farming, you eliminate certain products, chemicals… you're then forced to deepen your knowledge of the soil, the vines, and to talk with those who have done it before you. In the end, you have a better grasp of the subject. Today, we know our wines and our plots much better. "

The estate wishes to continue in this direction: “ We want to move towards a better understanding of our soils. We have sheep grazing and we are thinking of perhaps building a sheepfold. Why not? It creates a pleasant ecosystem for everyone. We are also studying the planting of a chestnut grove to have complementary activities. ”

The Côtes de Provence: welcome to rosé country

The Côtes de Provence appellation is little known to the general public, yet " we are in an extremely protected and very beautiful valley " where rosé is the predominant wine. Domaine Sainte Marie is no exception: rosé wines represent 85% of their production.

" The bulk of the work is, of course, in the vineyard. In the cellar, we work with the raw material to achieve what we want to make. This requires constant attention to every detail. "

The wines they want to make? “ We try to obtain pale, clear rosés, with good tension but also roundness for a perfect balance, ” explains Christopher. “ Our wines have aromas of grapefruit and lemon zest and are extremely intense. Their identity lies in the contrast between the nose, which gives an impression of sweetness, and the palate, which is lively and taut. This combination creates a sensation of salinity. It’s perfect for meals: when you drink it, you feel like eating. ”

The illuminated cellar of the Sainte Marie estate

And to conclude: " The idea is to have rosé wines that achieve consensus, are easy to drink, democratic, and meant to be shared, for those who know as well as those who don't. "

Manon Mouly (for Les Grappes)