Rimauresq

Rimauresq sits at the foot of Notre Dame des Anges in Pignans, about 20 minutes from Toulon. The story starts back in 1882 when Augustin Isnard replanted the vineyard after phylloxera destroyed everything. Just three years later, the town of Toulon awarded him a silver medal for both the reconstruction work and the quality of his wines. The name comes from Real Mauresque, the river from the Massif des Maures that flows through the property. In 1941, the estate helped create the Syndicat des Côtes de Provence to push for AOC status, and by 1955 Rimauresq became one of the founding members of the Cru Classé club. The Scottish Wemyss family took over in 1988 and they're still running things today.

A terroir that's different from the rest

The 60-hectare vineyard sits between 140 and 190 meters altitude with a north and northwest exposure. That's unusual for Provence. The Massif des Maures creates shade and a cooling effect that contrasts with the region's heat. The mistral blows through too. But what really sets Rimauresq apart is the soil. It's acidic, which is rare in Provence. You'll find clay-schist and crystalline soils with sandy and stony patches. Many parcels have a mix of degraded schist, pink sandstone and rolled pebbles all in one spot. This diversity explains why the estate excels in all three colors. Nine grape varieties grow here: grenache, syrah, carignan, cabernet sauvignon, mourvèdre for reds, rolle and ugni blanc for whites, plus cinsault and tibouren for rosés.

Organic farming and careful winemaking

The Wemyss family started converting to organic in 2016 and got certified in 2020. They work with low yields and respect the land. The philosophy is simple: let the terroir speak. For whites and rosés, grapes are picked in the cool morning hours to preserve freshness. Cold maceration happens in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Reds are destemmed except when carbonic maceration is used. Fermentation happens slowly with daily pumping over to extract flavors gently. Some wines age in French oak barrels or demi-muids for 10 to 14 months. The estate only produces its top cuvées when the vintage quality justifies it. That attention to detail runs through everything they do.

From Classique to Quintessence

Rimauresq produces wines across the range. The Classique line offers accessible expressions in all three colors with pure fruit and minerality. The Cuvée R represents the estate's signature wines from the best parcels. The R Blanc is 100% rolle vinified like a Burgundy white. The R Rosé shows structure and concentration from old vines. The R Rouge brings together finesse and power. Then there's Quintessence, the top cuvée made only in great years from old mourvèdre and syrah vines with yields around 15 hectoliters per hectare. You'll also find Cuvée Rebelle, a traditional rosé de saignée made the old-fashioned way as a reaction to the frivolous rosés that flooded the market. The wines have won multiple medals including gold at the Concours Général Agricole de Paris.