Bancroft takes on Provence estate Château de Berne

Bancroft Wines is now the official agent for Château de Berne in the UK, with the UK wine distributor set to focus on the Provence estate’s premium rosé portfolio, distributing five wines across the on-trade, off-trade and national retail channels.

Château de Berne in Provence

Located in the inland Haut Var, the Chateau de Berne estate dates back to the 11th century with over three centuries of winemaking tradition. It covers more than 500 hectares of land, of which about 130 hectares are vineyards, which is in the process of being converted to organic.

The estate benefits from a slightly high altitude compared with much of Provence, and therefore a larger diurnal range, as well as poor limestone soils. It produces 10 grape varieties: Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Sémillon, Ugni-Blanc, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Rolle and Mourvèdre. All rosés are fermented in stainless-steel tanks and top cuvées are matured in oak barrels.

The estate is also home to a 5-star Relais & Châteaux hotel & Michelin Star restaurant, making it a major tourist destination. 

“We are very enthusiastic about the sustained growth of the Provence rosé category and couldn’t imagine a better partner in the region,” said Bancroft Wines’ buying director Barney Davis. “We look forward to working closely with the customers in the UK that already stock their wines, as well as new customers attracted by Berne’s fantastic product innovation’.”

Chateau de Berne’s global sales director, Anthony Carfantan, added: “Bancroft is the perfect partner for Château de Berne. A national distributor with London roots covering every sector of the UK wine market, committed to shared values of authenticity, quality and sustainability. Bancroft’s knowledgeable sales and support teams will enable us to drive the Château de Berne business forward and reinforce our position as one of the most desirable Provencal Rosé brands”.

The full range of Château de Berne wines will be available to taste at Bancroft’s annual portfolio tasting next week, The Root of it All, at the Dutch Centre (7 Austin Friars, London EC2N 2HA), on 12 February from 10-6pm. Please RSVP to nsanz@bancroftwines.com to attend.