Шато д'Астрос

Кот дьо Прованс · Франция

Astros is nature at its most harmonious and alive — the essential, the most precious, the most refined. It is sunlight, a star, a radiance that brings immediate well-being and harmony. The history of Château d'Astros unfolds like an epic saga, telling the story of Provence through the Knights Templar, the spirit of the Renaissance and the Marseille bourgeoisie. Roman ruins can be found on the estate, but Astros itself was founded in the 13th century, when the Knights Templar settled in the fertile plain of the Argens to establish a farm. They worked this land until the Order was abolished by Philip the Fair in 1314, when Astros passed into the hands of the Knights of Malta, who carried on the Templars' work. In the 17th century the original farm became a seat of administration for the Knights of Malta, who built the first cellar at Astros in 1637. The stones of Astros are a historical chronicle of the people devoted to these lands — home to vineyards, grain fields, olive trees, fig trees and livestock. It was a place of prayer as much as a place to live: Astros has always hosted numerous religious buildings. The most recent, the Saint Lambert chapel built in the 17th century, houses a miraculous spring credited with healing properties. The estate became national property during the Revolution and changed hands again only in 1802, when Maximin Martin, a wealthy soap manufacturer from Marseille, acquired the land of Astros. His grandson, Marc Maximin Martin, a devoted admirer of Italian art, built a magnificent château inspired by Tuscan villas in 1860. He passed the estate on to his first cousin's grandson, Joseph Maurel. The current owner, Bernard Maurel, gave the estate new momentum in 1963. He planted new varieties and built a new cellar near the château to produce his first AOC Côtes de Provence in 1970. The estate, which until then had chiefly produced red wine, came to specialize in rosé. Today Bruno Maurel, a priest at the Jean-Joseph Allemand youth institute in Marseille, represents the eighth generation and runs the family business with the help of his nephews. 2021 was a decisive year for Château d'Astros, marking the start of the estate's transition to organic farming — a conversion begun three years earlier, reflecting the deep commitment and convictions of a family devoted to this land and eager to share its fruits with the world.