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 these 30 hectares of vineyard is forty years and it features many traditional Provencal varieties: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cinsault for the reds and Clairette, Trebbiano, Rolle and Ugni Blanc for the whites. The strength of this property lies in its unique microclimate: the breeze from the Mediterranean Sea, which is just 7km away, breathe life into the vineyard and its altitude brings cool nights, meaning grapes ripen slowly which in turn wines consequently retain a remarkable aromatic complexity. After having been at the head of the estate since 1994, Raimond de Villeneuve handed the reins over to Cédric and Violaine Menet in 2022.
The estate converted to organic viticulture (ECOCERT certified) and the soils are worked without chemical additives. Many cuvées have been produced as a result of the experiments made by this estate with their unique blends, even if that means bearing the sub-category classifications of VDP or IGP. Château de Roquefort’s motto is “Let's love, drink, and live!”