Roquefort - 'Sunlume' - Clairette, Rolle, Ugni Blanc - Provence, FR - 2025

Notes from the Winery/Importer

Perfect Provençal White!

Notes on the Producer

The Château de Roquefort is ideally located in the Côtes de Provence appellation area, between the Sainte Baume massif, reaching an altitude of 1,042 meters, and the world-famous National Park of the Calanques. The landscape is characterized by high plateaus, where vine cultivation is carried out organically (certified in 2006) and biodynamically at an altitude of 390 meters, nestled in an imposing rocky circus on terraces with clay-limestone soils. It is in this wild environment that Cédric and Violaine chose to embark on the winemaking adventure. The terroir is precious, thanks to a microclimate created by the altitude and the North/Northwest exposure of the plots, bringing a lot of freshness to the wines. Today, around 30 hectares contribute to the production of carefully crafted cuvées, sold across the globe. Through their cultivation choices, Cédric, Margaux, and Baptiste pay special attention to the respect of nature, from the grafting method to the harvest. Currently, nearly 40% of the planted surface comes from in-place grafting, with a careful selection of grafts. Five emblematic cuvées are produced there, two reds: Les Mûres and Gueule de Loup; two whites: Les Genêts and Petit Salé; one rosé: Corail. In some years, when the climate allows it, an exceptional cuvée may emerge. These are unique wines, not always similar from one year to the next. They share a common thread of freshness, regardless of color, making them quite joyful. These are wines to be enjoyed with an open heart! Let's love, drink, and live!

Grapes & Style

Clairette

Clairette is a southern French white grape with a long history around the Rhône, Provence, and Languedoc. It’s one of those Mediterranean varieties that can look simple on paper but becomes compelling when handled with restraint: generous enough for sunlit texture, but still capable of freshness and quiet detail.

In the vineyard, Clairette tends to ripen with moderate acidity, so picking and site matter. In blends it can soften sharper grapes and add body, while on its own it often works best when the winemaking preserves its herbal, stony side rather than pushing it toward weight.

In the glass, Clairette often shows pear, lemon, fennel, white flowers, almond, and a lightly saline or bitter-herbal finish. The best versions are subtle, savory, and very Mediterranean — less about flashy fruit than texture, herbs, and refreshment.

Ugni Blanc

Ugni Blanc is the French name for Trebbiano Toscano, widely planted in France and Italy. In France it’s especially important in Cognac and Armagnac, where its high acidity and relatively neutral profile make it an ideal base for distillation.

As a wine grape, Ugni Blanc is valued for freshness, reliability, and subtlety. It can be highly productive, so quality depends on good farming and restrained yields, but it can make clean, crisp whites when treated with care.

In the glass, Ugni Blanc often shows lemon, green apple, pear, white flowers, almond, and a light herbal edge. It’s usually more refreshing than aromatic, with a dry, straightforward quality that works well in blends and simple coastal whites.