CHÂTEAU LA CASTILLE

Who are we

Château La CASTILLE : A Wine Estate… A History… Ideally situated in the sunny South East of France between Marseille and Saint-Tropez, ‘Château La Castille’ is a haven of peace in the heart of Provence, close to the coast (Côte d’Azur). The estate’s 18th century castle is a reminder that the domain benefits from an enduring heritage from hundreds of years of winemaking in the region, dating back as far as over two thousand years ago when the Romans set foot on Gaul (Provence was early set as a “Romana Provincia”). Thus has the estate quite probably been planted with vines since roman Antiquity,although our oldest quotes in historical writings are from the late fifteenth century. In 1467 it belonged to the ‘Forbin’ family, Lords of Solliès, at the time when Provence was still independent from the kingdom of France. All throughout the sixteenth century France was at war against the Holy Roman Empire, and thus Provence was invaded by the armies of Emperor Charles V. The estate became for a time the quartering of the Imperial regiments of Castile, which explains the name “Castille” which first appeared in 1566 and has since remained. In 1730 La Castille became the property of Louis de Selle, who built the “Château” in its present form, as well as the beautiful monumental vaulted cellars. In 1829 it was acquired by the Aubert, a family of silk manufacturers from Lyon, who would develop it all along the 19th century. Mr Frédéric Aubert died in 1922 unhappily after his own children : his young daughter had died in 1901 and his son twenty years later in 1921, while studying to be a priest. His widow Berthe thereupon decided to donate the estate to the Church, requesting that the house be a Seminary, devoted to the education of priests, and a care-home house for retired priests. An exceptional & authentic vineyard in the very heart of Provence ! • 160 HA Estate • 25 grape varieties • AOP Côtes de Provence • IGP Var Integrated farming • High environmental certification • 100% winegrower Average production = 10 000 HL / year • Structured distribution God, vines & people since 1566