In the Greek-Celtic period, Roquefort was a rear-guard fortification for the nearby towns of Cassis and Marseille. When it was requisitioned by the Romans it was renamed “Rocca Fortis” and later, “Roquefort”. It was passed between the Crown of Provence to the bishops of Marseille and eventually, in 1812, it was bought by the Earl of Gardanne, an army officer and ancestor to the de Villeneuve de Flayosc family who are the estate’s present owners. The average age of the vines in this 24 ha of vineyard is forty years and it features many traditional Provencal varieties: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cinsault for the reds and Clairette, Rolle and Ugni for the whites. The strength of this domaine lies in its unique microclimate: the tides breathe life into the vineyard and its altitude brings cool nights, meaning grapes ripen slowly and Roquefort wines consequently retain a remarkable aromatic complexity. Raimond de Villeneuve is the current head of the domaine, which is now converted to organic viticulture (ECOCERT certified) and soils are worked without chemical additions. Many cuvées have been produced as a result of the experiments made by this domaine with their unique blends, even if that means bearing the sub-category classifications of VDP or IGP.

Scoring 16/20 in the RVF wine guide, this cuvée was one of their star bottles of the year: “This blend of Grenache, Carignan and Syrah is a benchmark for Provencal wines with its liquorice freshness, concentration and soft texture, making it drinkable right from its youth.” This cuvée is a successful blend of 40% Grenache Noir, 30% Carignan, 20% Syrah and 10% Cinsault. The wine is matured in barrels and demi-muids (600 litre barrels). If the RVF liked this wine then iDealwine certainly does too. At this price it would be a shame to let it pass you by!