Owner and winemaker of Château La Calisse: “You have to be tuned in to your terroir”.

The 11^th in Le Figaro Vin’s series brings us back to Provence where Patricia Ortelli, #40, creates her exquisite organic wines. Here she shares her vision and her deep love for her vocation, which she has pursued for the last 30 years.

A pioneer of organic viticulture in Provence, Patricia Ortelli works her 12 hectares of vines with passion and respect for the environment, entirely eschewing weedkillers and insecticides. Château La Calisse benefits from an exceptional location, with its terroir of stony limestone soil where the vines flourish at an altitude of 500 metres, which protects them from sun damage. This terroir produces wines of extraordinary vivacity, ranging from a delicate white to a refined red by way of the palest of rosés.

Le Figaro Vin: How does it feel to be crowned a winemaking champion?

Patricia Ortelli: It gives me a feeling of intense happiness, in the light of all the love that, to this very day, I have devoted to my wines.

Have you been training for long?

Only for 30 years! It began when I raised my hand at an auction and ended up owning an abandoned vineyard. We had to start from scratch, completely replanting and rebuilding, levelling the ground and constructing the cellar. That was when I chose to go organic, becoming a trailblazer here in Provence. We started out on land that had never been touched by chemicals.

Who is your mentor?

My oenology professor, who was a big help, and very enthusiastic about this terroir, in the northern part of Provence. This was at a time when investors were focused on the south, in order to be close to the sea, whereas here we are 500 metres above sea-level.

Is wine a team sport?

Yes, one hundred per cent. In my teams we are all on equal terms and we face the day’s challenges together, especially at harvest. One of the joys of this job is that you never know what to expect. You have to stay on your toes. Everyone in my team wants to do their best.

What is the key to making a good wine? The terroir or the winemaker?

For me it’s the terroir, and it is important that the winemaker understands that his task is to respect what his terroir offers. That is my definition of a great winemaker. You have to choose the right path for the wine to express its full aromatic potential, and you have to be tuned in to your terroir to find the best approach.

To what do you owe your success?

To Nature with a capital “N”.

Is your family proud of you?

I am sure they are. They have all been involved in the project and are particularly pleased with the results.

Your favourite colour? 

I produce a third of each colour, so I would say a blend of all three. There is a fascination in the specific skills and ways of working required by each of them. My first grapes were white, which went against the prevailing trend. As for the rosé, it is an extremely tricky wine to make, which gives you a great deal of joy when you get it right. Its finesse is remarkable.

The king of grape varieties?

I really think that there is an essential grape variety for each wine. For the whites that is Rolle, for the rosé, Grenache – it is the most suited to our high terroirs – and, for the reds, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Each grape variety has its own personality, its own challenges, they all have something about them, and you have to discover what makes each of them tick.

Your favourite wine?

The Cuvée Étoiles, but they all bring me a different pleasure. That can be when I am making them or when they are fully realised, just like with a work of art.

Your favourite vintage?

The one which provides the depth, fullness, and freshness that I look for. 2010 for example. Every vintage has a unique character which informs and shapes our wines. But it is certainly the case that the best years are those that are free from disease and frost.

If your wine was a person, who would it be?

It is the image of what nature has given us.

What are the best circumstances in which to taste your wine?

In large glasses, at the right temperature, obviously. But also, ideally, in circumstances conducive to producing a particular pleasure, a sense of joy.

Have you ever thought about chemically enhancing yourself, or your wine? 

No product can make a bad grape better. From the moment you harvest fully ripened grapes by hand, through the night, and your grapes are of the finest quality, there is nothing to be gained by tampering with them. The only measures we take are temperature regulation and combinations from different plots, using micro-vinifications, which enable us to balance our wines through blending.

For what price would you be prepared to sell your estate?

There is significant pressure around us, but my estate is priceless. I could never sell it because I am entirely at one with it.

Who is your strongest competition in Provence?

The most formidable competition would be to find myself surrounded by a race to the bottom, considering the terroirs we have in our region. These days Provence has established a reputation for high-quality wine, and we have to maintain it.

What has been your most innovative strategy in the vineyard and in the cellar?

They are too many to count, all connected to my understanding of vines and wine. I use methods that are unique to me, but one of them underpins everything: paying attention. You have to pay careful attention to every aspect of winemaking; you can never relax. I try, every day, to see and understand my vines.

Who would be your ideal successor on the podium?

My son and my grandchildren.