Winegrowers’ Portraits Gassin
Estate Bertaud Belieu
BB, the initials of a celebrity
With its emblematic initials, the Estate Bertaud Belieu has everything of a celebrity. It was the first wine growing estate in the peninsula of Saint-Tropez. Its history, with its problems, its ups and downs, looks like a saga. Since 2006, its new owners aim to give it back its regal status.
In Provence, the vineyard was planted by the Phocaens since the Antiquity. Especially around the small harbour of Athenopolis, renamed Heraclea, ancient name of Saint Tropez. The Romans developed it, the Barbarians hindered it. The vineyard from Saint-Tropez would find fresh hope with the help of the monks of la Chartreuse de Verne on behalf of Lord de Bertaud.
In the 14th century, the vineyard of Seigneury de Bertaud occupies the whole of the peninsula. The Revolution of 1789 would trust the fate of the estate in the hands of the village of Gassin, who would then divide it up. At the end of the 19th century, the Estate Bertaud still covers 300 hectares! During the following century, the descendants of Lord de Bertaud part with it. In 1989, the Estate Bertaud is linked up to the Estate Belieu in order to create the present Estate Bertaud Belieu which would then be bought by the current owners in 2006.
It now covers 62 hectares in one whole part, 70% of which are in plains on muddy-clayey soils and 30% on hillsides of slaty-granitic land, with 45 hectares in exploitation producing about 250 to 300.000 bottles. The grape planting is typical of Provence: Grenache, Cinsaullt, Tibouren, Rolle, Semillon, Chardonnay, Clairette, Mourvedre, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyard is grown according to an integrated management, and the returns are brought under control thanks to an appropriate size.
Fabien Godrie, the cellar master, took after his father, who arrived at the estate in 1989. Young certified agricultural engineer who is from a lineage of wine growers, of which he is the 5th generation, he does his utmost best to produce quality wines. The grape harvests take place in the chilliest hours of the morning, it is done with machines in order to take the grapes back to the cave as quickly as possibe. At the start, the sorting is done manually. The grapes are then put through a pneumatic press. The pressing occurs with only one variety at a time and by plot. Then come the maceration and the fermentation in stainless steel vat until the assembly and the bottling process on a really modern and really fast assembly line(2.000 tops per hour).
Karim Jeribi
The Rosé, at the centre of production, is the star, it represents 85% of the Estate Bertaud Belieu sales. The heading line of the range, reference to its origins, is named
Heraclea, a complexe vintage, produced with Grenache, Syrah and Rolle, to which the best grapes are reserved. More “mass market”, the
Prestige vintage is a “rosé of Saint-Tropez”, of pale colour, light, refreshing, easy to drink, enginereed at 60% with Grenache at short maceration and soft pressing, which shows itself off in large size ( up to the Mathuselah) on the beaches of Pampelona such as Club 55. Finally, the
Initiale vintage, produced with 6 varieties of grapes, a rosé to accompany grilled meats and summer salads, is a second role to quality. The specificity of these rosés is that they have the same taste, the same crispiness, all year round because they are made on demand. Amazing result.
“The rosé BB “made in Saint-Tropez” was one of the first to seduce New York as well as Las Vegas, says Karim Jeribi, technical director, in charge of public relations as well. The rosé must be seen” meaning: to keep alive its celebrity status. It is for all celebrations, and also on the best tables. In France, the Estate Bertau Belieu support the charity “Les Puits du Desert” (The Desert Wells) and holds a charity night to raise funds, but also a very eclectic range of chosen events: Festival de Cannes, classical music, Polo tournaments, Tennis, Golf, car racing...The rosé BB is present in a lot of events, it welcomes the finish of Rallye des Princesses at Estate of Gassin, thirst quenches the St-Tropez Tennis Classic Tour or goes at sea with Alexia Barrier for the Transat AG2R to Saint- Barth. The Estate Bertaud Belieu, which has a role to honour its past, even created a clothe line stamped Bertaud Belieu Saint-Tropez. We reserve the polo rosé!
Marie-Caroline Bourrellis
Domaines de Bertaud-Belieu
Presqu'île de St Tropez
83580 Gassin – France
Tél. : +33 (0) 4 94 56 16 83 www.bertaud-belieu.fr 
