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Directions:

Coming to Rimauresq from Nice or Aix en Provence:
Autoroute A8, exit "Le Cannet des Maures / Le Luc"
follow sign posts to Le Luc, Gonfaron et Toulon RN 97.
At Pignans stay on the RN 97 and follow signs to Notre Dame des Anges.

Coming to Rimauresq from Toulon:
Autoroute A57, exit "Carnoules-Pignans"
follow signs to Pignans. On the RN 97 take the first turning right after the Pignans train station. Follow signs to Notre Dame des Anges.

Come, taste and discover our exceptional wines!

The cellar door is open from Monday to Saturday from 0900hrs to 1200hrs and from 1400hrs to 1700hrs during winter and from 0900hrs to 1200hrs and from 1500hrs to 1830hrs from June 1st until 15th September. We are closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

• Our Vineyards
• Our History
• Our Team

Rimauresq takes its name from the ‘’Real Mauresque’’ which is the river which flows through the vineyards. The Domaine itself is located at the foot of Notre Dame Des Anges and the Massif des Maures mountain range. At the heart of the Provence wine region, twenty minutes from Toulon, Rimauresq consists of 57 hectares of vines.
Its exceptional‘terroir’, recognised through its Cru Classé status, results in wines of elegance, complexity, purity and long term cellaring potential.The terroir is of crystalline rock with sand and gravelly soil. It frequently benefits from the combination of the individual terroirs in the same area of the vineyard. It is this diversity that allows Rimauresq to excel in all three colours red, white and rosé.

On these harsh soils, aided by a North-West orientation, the vines produce small quantities of very highly concentrated grapes. The micro climate at Rimauresq is unique within the Appellation. The vineyards are located at an altitude of between 140 to 190 metres and are lucky enough to get the benefit not only of the cooling Mistral winds but also the shade of the mountains above. It is this shade which gives a longer ripening period in the crucial weeks prior to harvest.

Nine noble grape varieties are found at Rimauresq ; Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignan for the reds, Rolle (Vermentino) and Ugni Blanc for the whites and Cinsault, Mourvedre and Tibouren for the rosés. At Rimauresq we keep only the best fruit from the vineyards. This dedicated approach, combined with a modern gravity fed winery, allows Pierre Duffort and his team to focus on producing the very best Provencehas to offer.

Some notable dates in the history of Rimauresq:

• 1882 :The vineyard is devastated by phylloxera and is re-planted by Augustin Isnard.
• 1885 : Rimauresq is awarded a silver medal at Toulon for the quality of its wines and the re-planting carried out in 1882.
• 1941 :Rimauresq and some other notables domaines found the ‘Syndicat des Côtes de Provence’ before being awarded Appellation d’OrigineContrôlée status.
• 1955 :A select few of the very best Provence domaines were awarded Cru Classé status, of which Rimauresq was one.
• 1988 :The Wemyss family, from Scotland, acquires Rimauresq from the Isnard family.

Pierre Duffort, Senior Winemaker/Director

Pierre has many years of winemaking experience within Appellation Côtes de Provence. Before heading up Rimauresq he was in charge of his family domaine, La Moutete at nearby Cuers. Since joining Rimauresq the domaine has won industry wide recognition for excellence, not least being awarded three stars in three consecutive years by Guide Hachette. No mean achievement !

Other key members of the team include:

Monsieur Morin: Assistant winemaker

Monsieur Giovinazzo: Viticulturalist

Monsieur Taberner: Commercial Director

Monsieur Bertin: Oenologue

• The Reds
• The Whites
• The Rosé

Cru Classé, A.O.C Côtes de Provence

All honour to the reds ! At Rimauresq the elegance, the length and the smoothness dominate the wines. To capture all the subtility of the reds it is better to decant the wines into a carafe prior to drinking. The temperature to serve the wines at should be not more than 17-18 degrees. It is always better to drink a wine slightly to chilled than too hot ! The wines should ideally accompany food, preferably based around red meat based dishes. Roast game is the perfect match.

Cru Classé, A.O.C Côtes de Provence

The White at Rimauresq has a seductive character. Aromatic complex and round, with good length, it will go equally well with either shellfish or just a simple piece of grilled fish. Be prepared for the Rimauresq whites to suprise you ! The wines have floral and mineral characters which benefit from being opened a minimum of half an hour before serving at a temperature of 12 degrees. It should be drunk within two years of release.

The rosés have a superb aromatic subtility which naturally complements traditional Provence cooking. It is also worth trying these rosés with a range of other foods such as foie gras and chicken and, if you do, you will understand that rosé is more than just a thirst quencher! Theses rosés, which have mineral and floral attributes, will also benefit from being opened at least half an hour before drinking and served at a temperature of 12 degrees. As with the white it should be drunk within two years of release.

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• Viticulture
• Vinification

The average age of the vines is 40 years with some Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon being in excess of 70 years old. The most recent plantings were carried out in the 1990s. There are between 3,600 and 4500 vines planted per hectare, with a space between the rows of between 2.1 to 2.5 metres. The vines themselves are either 'en gobelet' or on a trellised double cordon. Each vine is pruned to four spurs with two buds on each spur. Increasingly the emphasis has been on organic viticulture that has resulted in a steep reduction in the amount of herbicide and pesticide used, resulting in a greater emphasis on 'working the soil'.

All bunches are de-stemmed, except in the case of those which are fermented through carbonic maceration. The winemaking techniques used aims at achieving an optimal extraction of flavours and tannins (total or partial carbonic maceration, cold pre-ferment maceration). The reds are fermented at a controlled temperature in a sealed tank, being racked and pumped every day to submerge the cap, allowing the extraction of the polyphenols and aromas. After the fermentation stage the wines are macerated by daily plunging/rack and pumping in order to achieve optimal extraction. A section of the reds are then aged in oak barrels (600L demi-muits, French oak, average toast) for 10 to 14 months. A light filtering is done prior to bottling.

Red Rimauresq 2005

Red 'R' Rimauresq 2004

The harvest commences on the 29th August and ends on the 28th of September. All the 'vieilles Vignes' are hand picked (and grapes selected) for the Red 'R' Rimauresq.

The fruit is harvested during the early morning to benefit from the low night temperatures. The bunches are then crushed and de-stemmed and undergo cold maceration on their skins for several hours. The grapes are then pressed and the free run juice separated. Subsequently, it undergoes a period of cold stabilization prior to fermentation at a low temperature for two to three weeks. After fermentation the wines are left on their lees with regular 'batonnage', improving the aromas. The wines do not undergo malolactic fermentation so as to preserve their acidity. Finally, the wines are filtered prior to bottling. Neither wines are matured in oak.

Rosé

Grape Varieties: Cinsault (45%), Tibouren (25%), Syrah(5%) and Grenache (25%)

Tasting notes: An aromatic and light blend with good acidity.

Cellaring: Up to three years.

White

Grape Varieties: Rolle (Vermentino) 90% and Ugni Blanc 10%

Tasting Notes:A crisp wine, balancing alcohol with acidity.

Vinification: The harvest begins on the 4th September and lasts for six weeks. A combination of mechanical and manual harvesting is carried out. The grapes are left to macerate on their skins for several hours prior to fermentation at a low temperature. The wine is left on its lees for three weeks with regular 'batonnage'. It then undergoes a period of cold stabilization prior to filtering.

Cellaring:Up to three years

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THE REDS

■ (…) Domaine de Rimauresq; the terroir signals reds which have charm, depth and elegance.

(Elle à Table – Juillet/Août 2004)

■ R Red 2001 *** (Outstanding wine) (…) The Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon in equal measure has given birth to a wine of a deep ruby colour whose nose is rich and intense, mixed with liquorice, spices and fruit. Strong and harmonious the mouthfeel reveals a depth of oakand a finish of great length, resulting from a good vinification and ageing. A wine that should be cellared for at least two years from release prior to drinking. It should be decanted and drunk with a dish of red meat, or game or a fillet.

(Guide Hachette 2004)

■ R Red 2001 (…) the R Cuvée is the masterpiece of this domaine. Deep and fine, it develops a beautiful fruity character and a personality which confirms this

(Les Meilleurs Vins de Mediterranée R.V.F no 173)

REDS AND ROSÉS

■ (…)Cabernet Sauvignon is the principal variety for the reds, for the Rosés the Tibouren variety is responsible for their elegance. The effort and work in the vineyard can be clearly seen. It is for this reason that the Rimauresq wines are among the best in France

(Wein + Markt Compact – Avril 2004)

■(…)This fine 36-ha Scottish-owned property is notable for making some of the best examples of rosé in the Côtes de Provence. They are fine and pure with subtle, elegant red berry fruit and like all the wines here have a persistent mineral character which lends a tight, firm structure. This is particularly notable in the reds.

The Cuvée R. Rosé is produced from older plantings of Cinsault, Grenache and Mourvèdre, which gives it extra depth and that piercing mineral and red berry fruit intensity. Both the reds are firmly structured with a herb spice character, the Cuvée R. being fuller and deeper but with a background touch of austerity in its youth. Give it five years or so to soften.

( Wine behind the label 2005 edition )

ESTATE WHITE 2004

■Floral nose, with cut grass, and an elegant freshness. An expressive mouthfeel, very fruity. A Success.

( La Revue de Vin de France, June 2005 )

■Consisting of 90% Rolle (Vermentino) and the balance of Ugni Blanc, it is clearly from minerally soils. The wine has citrus fruit aromas as well as notes of passion fruit, banana and mango.

( Weinwelt - 5/2005 Aug./Sept .)

ESTATE ROSÉ 2004

■Note 87/100

Pale rosécolour, almost salmon like. Floral notes on the nose, with hints of red fruits. Tendermouth feel. A well made rosé for aperitif, starters or equally with fish.

( Commentaires Gilbert & Gaillard 2005 )

*** Quite austere, with some citrus and apple. Full bodied; good structure and length. A food wine.

( Decanter magazine, août 2005 )

ROSER. 2004

■ Note 15/20

An elegant rose (citrus fruits) and a strong minerality; very judicious and harmonious.

( Weinwirtschaft – 11/2005 – Mai 2005 )

Trade Events:

Foreign Trade Shows: Prowein 2006 (Düsseldorf , Germany) –26th-28th March 2006

Vinexpo Asia (Hong Kong)- 23rd to 25thMay 2006 (stand AB16)

London Wine Trade Fair (London, UK) 16th-18thMay 2006

Domestic Trade Shows Vinisud 2006 – Montpellierdu 20 au 22 février 2006

Other Trade Tastings: Zürich : 23 mai 2005 (Suisse)

Den Haag : 18 avril 2005 (Hollande)

New York: 9 mai 2005

‘’Open Doors during Vendange’’ Every Monday, Tueday and Wednesday during harvest (13th September-12thOctober) trade and public customers are welcome for winery tours at Rimauresq. To secure your invitation please email Rimauresq@wanadoo.fr

Art exhibitions in the barrel room at Rimauresq

You can either fill out the order online and email it to us, or print it out and fax it to us. We will organise delivery of your order after receiving payment.Delivery only possible in mainland France,as long as supplies last.

Important Points

Each order must be a minimum of 12 bottles of 75cl (1 bottle of 150cl is the equivalent of 2 bottles of 75cl). Please do not pay for your wines before we confirm your order.

Payments methods accepted:
Credit Card (by telephone) Eurocard, Mastercard, Visa
By French cheque In euros
By bank transfer

• Crus Classé web site
• Côtes de Provence web site
• Independent Wine shops site (F.N.C.I)
• Guide Gantié– Point of gastronomic reference for the region PACA