Wine in Cotes de Provence La Londe, Provence

Domaines Ott ★ 4.7

Three sister estates across Provence under one ownership: Chateau de Selle (Cotes de Provence Cru Classe, Taradeau, acquired 1912), Clos Mireille (Cotes de Provence La Londe, acquired 1936) and Chateau Romassan (Bandol, acquired 1956). Maison Louis Roederer acquired a 66 percent stake in 2004; the Ott family retains the balance and remains involved in operations.

Tasting: Visits and tastings at the three estates by appointment

Signature wines: Domaines Ott Clos Mireille Blanc de Blancs, Domaines Ott Chateau de Selle Rose, Ott Chateau Romassan Bandol

Tip: Clos Mireille's white from Semillon and Rolle is one of Provence's reference whites; Chateau Romassan delivers the Bandol from the same group.

Chateau Sainte Marguerite ★ 4.7

Family-run Cru Classe estate at La Londe-les-Maures since 1929, working 168 hectares of certified organic vineyard on schist soils on the slopes of the Massif des Maures.

Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings by appointment

Signature wines: Chateau Sainte Marguerite Symphonie Rose, Chateau Sainte Marguerite Fantastique Rouge, Sainte Marguerite Rose

Tip: Symphonie is the estate's barrel-fermented prestige rose, the top-of-range bottling.

Chateau Leoube ★ 4.7

Coastal estate at Bormes-les-Mimosas with four kilometres of Mediterranean shoreline, 68 hectares of organic-certified vineyard plus 23 hectares of olive grove. Romain Ott (of the Domaines Ott family) is the winemaker.

Tasting: Cellar visits, tastings and the on-site beach restaurant Cafe Leoube open seasonally

Signature wines: Leoube Rose De Leoube, Leoube Secret De Leoube, Leoube Leoube Blanc

Tip: Secret de Leoube, the top-of-range rose from old-vine Grenache and Mourvedre, is the cellar candidate.

Chateau Galoupet ★ 4.5

Coastal Cru Classe estate at La Londe-les-Maures acquired by Moet Hennessy in 2019, the group's first Provence rose property. The estate runs 69 hectares of vineyard inside 77 hectares of protected woodland on the schist soils of the Massif des Maures.

Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings by appointment

Signature wines: Galoupet Cru Classe Rose, Galoupet Nomade Rose

Tip: The estate has reoriented after the LVMH acquisition toward a sustainability-led Cru Classe rose programme using flat amber-glass bottles to reduce shipping weight.

Domaine Saint-Andre de Figuiere ★ 4.5

Burgundy expat Alain Combard bought Figuiere in 1992; the estate is now run by his children Delphine, Francois and Magali. Organic-certified since 1979. 60 hectares of vineyard on schist and quartz soils in the La Londe sub-denomination.

Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings by appointment

Signature wines: Saint-Andre de Figuiere Confidentielle Blanc, Saint-Andre de Figuiere Magali Rose, Saint-Andre de Figuiere Delphine Rouge

Tip: The Confidentielle white from Rolle and Semillon is the estate's tight, mineral-driven flagship white.

Domaine Saint Andre de Figuiere ★ 4.4

A certified-organic Combard-family estate at La Londe-les-Maures in the coastal eastern Cotes de Provence sub-appellation. Theatre programmes and visitor experiences alongside cellar tastings.

Tip: La Londe is the sub-AOC built closest to the sea; ask the estate to compare the La Londe Rose against the wider Cotes de Provence to feel the salinity that sea spray adds.

Chateau Leoube ★ 4.4

Chateau Leoube on the seaward coast at Bormes-les-Mimosas farms its Cotes de Provence vineyards organically and is a reference for organic Provençal rose. The estate also makes olive oil from the same land.

Tip: The garden tasting at Leoube has sea views; arrive late afternoon for the best light.

Domaine Saint Andre de Figuiere ★ 4.4

The Combard family farms Saint Andre de Figuiere at La Londe-les-Maures organically since the early 1990s, with Ecocert certification. The estate works the eastern coastal Cotes de Provence La Londe sub-appellation across Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvedre and Rolle.

Tip: La Londe sits closest to the sea among the Cotes de Provence sub-AOCs; the salinity in the rose is the marker of the sub-appellation.