“In primary school, my girlfriends imagined themselves as teachers or hairdressers. I didn't see myself cooped up inside four walls, I dreamed of the outdoors and growing plants.” Destiny was listening to Marie Pascaud de Gasquet, and made her a winemaker and the manager of the estate that has been in the family for almost forever. “My grandfather was from Marseille and received this land as a dowry when he married a young woman from Saint-Tropez,” she says. “They arrived here in 1822-23, and never left.” The Pampelonne vineyard covers 50 contiguous hectares and borders the sea. Thanks to Marie's initiative, it has been awarded the highest environmental rating: the “Haute Valeur Environnementale” certification. “We have stopped using chemical fertilizers and other treatments, and we work in a way that respects the fauna and flora. The environmental certification is an important proof of our commitment,” she explains. As autumn arrives, both manual and mechanical harvests are done at night to guarantee the freshness of the grapes and the well-being of the pickers. Château de Pampelonne produces the three colors of wine, but rosé dominates, accounting for 85% of the production. The wine is made with minimal extractions, and the result is an enchanting pale color that is sought after by the clientele. “Connoisseurs appreciate the pleasure of drinking our wines. Our structured, aromatic, balanced rosés have a beautiful tension to their finish,” explains Marie. As for their bouquet, the rosés from Château de Pampelonne offer aromas of white-fleshed fruits with notes of red berries and vine-ripened peaches. Will Louis one day take over from his mother? “I will be as good to him as my father was to me,” says Marie with a smile. “I would like him to embrace the wine world out of passion, if he doesn't have the calling, he won't be able to do this job.”