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Key figures

Origin and history

The Château La Rolière, built in 1572 by Lancelin de La Rolière, is a historic mansion located on the left bank of the Rhône, in Livron-sur-Drôme. This estate, initially surrounded by walls, became a key player in local viticulture thanks to its vineyard planted in 1824 by the agronomist Armand Blanc-Montbrun. The latter, who died in 1849, bequeathed to his heirs a "beautiful closed vineyard" and a manor house full of history, already known for its wines exported to Saint-Péray for the production of sparkling wines.

In 1855, a dry white wine from the estate, presented under the name "French sherry" at the Universal Exhibition in Paris, was rewarded with a medal signed by Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte. The diploma, however, specified its origin: a Côte-du-Rhône de Brézème. A brochure published in 1860 in the Drôme celebrated the Clos de la Rolière, strengthening his reputation. The vineyard, completely replanted in 1975, passed into the hands of the Marchal family in 1976, whose eleven children and descendants still own it today.

The estate extends over eight hectares, divided between syrah (6 ha) and white grape varieties (marsanne, russene, viognier). It produces seven cuvées, including reds aged in oak barrels such as Cuvée Maurice Marchal or Cuvée Eleven de Coeur, as well as whites and a rosé. This wine heritage, linked to the AOC Brezeme, embodies the heritage of the northern rhone coasts, mixing tradition and innovation for nearly five centuries.

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