Familie Sumeire

Provence, France

About Familie Sumeire

Château Coussin, located beneath the summit of Sainte Victoire, produces delicate rosés, mineral whites, and strong reds from one of France's largest family-owned vines. The Sumerie family has been involved in the wine trade since the 1800s, and their history in Trets, a village near Aix-en-Provence, stretches back to the 1200s. Jean-Baptiste Gautier bought the Coussin property at the turn of the century, and when his granddaughter married Elie Sumerie, it became part of the family estate. The 120-hectare vineyard is higher in elevation than most of the Côtes-de-Provence, with a profound continental influence that results in wines with stunning acidity and minerality, notably the rosés.

The property is situated on historically significant ground where the ancient Greeks and Romans both planted vines. The Coussin estate even has Roman tombs, showing its ancient origins. Given the vineyard's microclimate and history, the Sumeries manage it with great care, avoiding pesticides to foster biodiversity and using organic practices whenever possible. Olivier Sumerie, an eighth-generation Provence winemaker, emphasises brightness, purity, and aromatics in his wines. While many winemakers were bringing in new oak barrels in the early 2000s, he was getting rid of his—all in the name of fruit-forward, terroir-driven wines. Olivier, his sister Sophie, and his wife Annabelle oversee the Château. They vinify Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Rolle, and Ugni Blanc in a state-of-the-art winery with the winemaking team, producing true representations of the Côtes-de-Provence Sainte Victoire AOP.

Additional Details:

Producer: Château Coussin
Varietals: Grenache and Syrah
Labor Practices: Joel Magnoni, the resident oenophile, oversees all cellar operations. Daily operations and vinification monitoring are under his watchful eye. Olivier, Sophie, Annabelle, Jean Pierre Sumeire, Joel Magnoni, and Daniel Peraldi, the oenology consultant, are all responsible for the production of each cuvée.
Sustainable Practices: Chateau Coussin is HVE (High Environmental Value) level 3 certified. This certification, which is a voluntary method based on four environmental topics - biodiversity protection, phytosanitary strategy, fertilization management, and water management - applies to all agricultural industries, not just wine. They plough the vines on a regular basis and mechanically eliminate undesired weeds to protect the environment. They never use herbicides, which explains the vines' diverse flora and fauna. Their strategy is to employ organic treatments whenever possible and to use pesticides as little as possible.