Description
Domaine Gavoty, Côtes de Provence Blanc
Roselyn Gavoty is at the helm of this family-run domaine, which dates to 1806. It is a polycultural farm covering more than 100 hectares of land, all of it Certified Organic. Goats and sheep graze amongst the vines, some of which were planted as far back as the 1960s. Their historic manor house, called Le Gîte, is open to visitors exploring the region.
Domaine Gavoty farms 50 hectares of vines in the commune of Cabasse, in the northwestern part of the Côtes de Provence AOC zone (roughly at a midpoint between Marseille and Nice). The soils in the vineyards, which, like most Provençal vineyards, face south toward the sea, are a limestone/clay mixture dating to the Triassic era. The vineyards are surrounded by oak and pine forests and flanked by the Issole River.
100% Rolle from Gavoty’s limestone-rich vineyards, vinified and aged in a combination of concrete and steel tanks (the concrete lending softness to the texture). It’s a sumptuous style but also crisp and refreshing, as malolactic fermentation (the conversion of sharper malic acid to softer lactic acid) is blocked via temperature control.
In the glass, it’s a medium yellow-gold with hints of green and silver, scents of wild sage, fennel, and mint layered over ripe fruit notes of green mango, white peach, green apple, wildflower honey, wet stones, and sea spray. It is medium-bodied, leaning toward medium-plus, feeling quite fleshy on the palate yet lifted and lip-smackingly fresh.
