Château Sainte Anne, situated in the Bandol appellation of Provence, is a historic estate managed by Françoise Dutheil and her son Jean-Baptiste Dutheil. As a founding member of the Association des Vins Naturels (AVN), Château Sainte Anne was a pioneer of the natural wine movement and has followed organic, biodynamic, and natural agriculture and winemaking since the 1960s. Jean-Baptiste Dutheil now leads the winemaking efforts at Château Sainte Anne, ensuring the continuation of the family’s traditional methods and commitment to quality.
The vineyards of this 15-hectare estate are situated on steep, terraced slopes of calcareous sandstone and clay-limestone soils with a southeastern exposition. Located just a few kilometers from the Mediterranean, the sea breezes create a microclimate that moderates the hot summers and permits a relatively low level of alcohol. The old vines, all Goblet pruned, range from 35-85 years of age. 75% of the production is red, 20% rosé, and 5% white.
Each variety is manually harvested at full ripeness and then de-stemmed. There is no temperature manipulation: neither the fruit nor the juice is heated or cooled.
The constituent grapes of the Bandol Rouge, predominantly Mourvèdre with additions of Cinsault and Grenache, are vinified separately. They are destemmed and directly pressed, then fermented over wild yeasts in stainless steel vats for about 15 days, during which the cap is punched down manually. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally, after which the wine is racked by gravity into old, wood-neutral foudres where it ages for 20-22 months, and then assembled and bottled without fining or filtration. Sulfur is avoided, with 2 mg/L at most being added at bottling.
The rosé wine, Bandol Rosé, is half saignée and half free-run. The constituent grapes (Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Grenache) are vinified separately, fermented in stainless steel over indigenous yeasts, followed by naturally occurring malolactic fermentation. The young wine is aged in enameled steel tanks and then blended and bottled, without fining or filtration.
The constituent grapes of the Bandol Blanc, Clairette and Ugni Blanc, are likewise vinified separately: directly pressed, then fermented over wild yeasts, and aged in stainless steel vats to prevent any oxidative flavors and maintain the wine’s fresh, crisp acidity. The Bandol Blanc is then assembled and bottled, unfined and unfiltered, with minimal or no addition of sulfur.
