Forever the first great French rosé brand!
Ask your friends to name three rosés, and "Minuty" will almost certainly be on the list. That's the power of a great brand! This undeniable success didn’t just happen overnight; it was built on investment and perseverance.
The various owners have played a crucial role in enhancing the Provencal viticultural terroir: firstly, by working towards the establishment of the AOC Côtes de Provence, and secondly, by promoting the creation of a classification for the Crus Classés of Provence.
Minuty's rise is inseparable from the meteoric rise of its birthplace. In the 1960s, Minuty wines were already gracing every table along the Côte d'Azur, just as Saint-Tropez's reputation soared and it became the most sought-after seaside resort. The town became the global capital of jet-set tourism, and Minuty one of its symbols.
Today, although Minuty has been joined by other names, it is undeniable that this house has contributed like no other to transforming rosé into a highly esteemed product.
Thus, the reputation is cemented, and one does not just drink any rosé, but a Minuty.
Created in 1977, this appellation covers more than 20,000 hectares and traces its origins back to early Greek colonization. Its wines were later enjoyed at the English and French Courts.
Renowned for their light color and floral, fruity and citrus aromas, Provence rosés are round, supple and freshly acidic.
The geological diversity is spectacular: the vines, bathed in Mediterranean air and sunshine, draw on this mineral complexity to offer great diversity within the appellation.
With a predominance of grape varieties such as Grenache, Cinsaut and Syrah, these wines are necessarily the fruit of a carefully regulated blend. Two predominant grape varieties are mandatory, plus up to 30% secondary grape varieties.
The richness of this appellation lies in the preservation of its winegrowing tradition, and in its sustainable cultivation practices: 47% of its surface area is farmed organically or with High Environmental Value (HVE).
Wines of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez
Located on the tropézienne peninsula, the Château Minuty vineyard boasts an exceptional location, which has been rewarded with the prestigious Cru Classé de Provence designation (today there are only 18 to claim this title!). The vineyard is remarkably well exposed on the slopes of the villages of Ramatuelle and Gassin, overlooking the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. This privileged terroir, nestled between land and sea, benefits from the best of both ecosystems: it combines an ideal, temperate maritime Mediterranean microclimate with a clay-schist soil conducive to the cultivation of regional grape varieties such as Grenache, Tibouren, Syrah and Rolle.
Débuts et Fondations
The Minuty vineyards took root in 1936, when Gabriel Farnet acquired the Château, nestled in the Saint-Tropez peninsula and a legacy of the Napoleon III era.
Gabriel set about replanting the entire estate, an undertaking that was crowned in 1955 with the designation Cru classé des Côtes de Provence.
The Provencal Ascension
Monique Farnet and Étienne Matton, Gabriel's daughter and son-in-law, restore the Provencal tradition to the vineyard by planting traditional grape varieties such as Tibouren, Rolle and Grenache. These investments enabled Minuty to improve the quality of its vineyards and winery, establish itself on the prestigious tables of the Côte d'Azur and build its international reputation.
Innovation and Expansion
With Jean-Etienne and François Matton, the 3rd generation, the brand's prosperity continues thanks to the updating of the vineyard. Carignan and Ugni blanc were replaced by endemic grape varieties, and winemaking methods adopted more modern, high-performance tools: Minuty's reputation was raised on the international scene, in over a hundred countries.
Minuty: A Contemporary Gem
The 4th generation, in the person of Anne-Victoire Matton, Mr. Farnet's great-granddaughter, ensures the excellence of each Minuty wine and the preservation of family values and traditions. The future looks bright for this emblematic brand, now a symbol of Provençal rosé and an international bestseller made in France.
