Domaines Ott

The history of Domaines Ott* dates back to 1896, when Marcel Ott settled in Provence with the aim of producing quality wines. Marcel, an agricultural engineer from Alsace, had fallen in love with the beautiful surroundings of the Mediterranean Sea. The phylloxera epidemic had also driven down the value of vineyards, though they needed to be entirely replanted.

He set his sights on Château de Selle, an estate in Taradeau on elevated limestone hills, some 20 kilometres inland from Sainte-Maxime. This is where the Ott family adventure began, with the goal of producing the finest possible rosé wines from Provence. Step by step, Marcel Ott rebuilt the vineyards and refined his wines.

Château de Selle is produced from the noble grape varieties grenache, cinsault, syrah and mourvèdre. The estate is today regarded as one of the founding producers of quality rosé. Thanks in part to this wine, Provence has grown into the most popular region in the world for rosé.

In the vineyard, the vines are densely planted, yields are strictly controlled, and organic practices are followed. The microclimate (with warm sunshine and a cooling sea breeze) ensures perfect ripening of the grapes. In the winery, the grapes receive only 20 minutes of skin contact, resulting in a pale pink colour. The differences in flavour between the wines are attributable to the individual grape varieties.

In 1936, Marcel acquired a second estate: Clos Mireille. From that point on, the plural Domaines was deliberately used in the name Domaines Ott*. Clos Mireille is primarily devoted to white wine and is produced from 70% sémillon and 30% rolle (vermentino). Until 2004, only white wine was produced at this estate.

In 1956, the family added a third estate, Château Romassan in Bandol, to their portfolio. The wines of Château Romassan are based predominantly on mourvèdre, complemented by a portion of grenache noir and occasionally cinsault.

In 1932, Marcel commissioned his son René to design a new bottle for Domaines Ott*. That unique bottle grew into an icon used exclusively by the Ott family, and has played a significant role in making the wines of Domaines Ott* instantly recognisable worldwide.

Since 2004, Domaines Ott* has been part of the Roederer Collection of Louis Roederer. Family members Christian and Jean-François Ott nonetheless remain at the helm, continuing the philosophy that Marcel set in motion.

In recent years, Domaines Ott* introduced a flagship wine: L'Étoile. This rosé is assembled from the finest terroirs across all three estates and represents the purest expression of a prestige rosé from Provence.