In 1896, after a tour of France’s many vineyards, Marcel Ott, a young graduate in agronomy engineering from Alsace, finally found an estate that inspired him. To set the scene, we are in Provence. The Mediterranean is lapping at the shore a mere stone’s throw away...
Château de Selle was the first estate acquired by Marcel Ott in 1912. It is in Taradeau, near Draguignan, on soil where only olive, lavender and mulberry trees used to grow. Not far from Thoronet Abbey, close to a former 18th century residence of the Counts of Provence, the soil is gypsum, red clay, dolomite and sandstone mixed with gravel and stone, today producing highly distinguished and elegant wines. Perched on high limestone inland slopes where it is sheltered from winter frosts, the estate enjoys a microclimate of mild winters, early springs and warm and dry summers, always with a great deal of sunshine.
Vines are grown in the same way on terraced vineyards. Production is constant, respectful of the environment and well-balanced. The wines draw their flavours from the arid climate and minerals in the soil, demonstrating exceptional character. The average age of the vines at Château de Selle is nineteen years old. Wines are made from an accomplished blend of several grape varieties with which half of the estate’s 140 hectares are planted: Cabernet Sauvignon lends complexity, elegance and magnificent strength, Grenache provides a full-bodied texture, Cinsault adds a delicate and rounded touch, while Syrah gives its rich colour to the blends.