A family estate above Taradeau in Provence. Gérard and Monique Biancone laid the foundations in 1983; today, their children Sophie and Enzo continue the work in the vineyards, in the cellar and in the development of the estate.
When Gérard and Monique bought Rasque, they began by establishing vineyards in the Provençal landscape. Gérard had a background as a mason and builder. Monique came from a family of winegrowers in Bordeaux.
The first 15 hectares were planted with grape varieties grown in Provence. Over the years, the estate’s vineyards expanded, and new buildings provided space for winemaking. In 1992, the Compagnons du Devoir built the underground ageing cellar, with large oak casks for maturing the red wines.
Sophie began working alongside her father in 2005. Enzo joined the family business in 2018, contributing to communications and the development of the estate. Together, they have worked on the design of the bottles and labels, among other projects.
Rasque’s story is also one of a new generation taking over: the parents established the estate, and their children continue the work on the same land.
Rasque stands on a natural ridge around 260 metres above sea level. Clay and limestone characterise the soils, while oak, pine, broom and rockrose grow around the vineyards.
Throughout the year, the vines are pruned, excess shoots are removed and canes are tied in. The grapes are harvested by hand. Once the grapes arrive, work continues in the cellar, where winemaking and blending are adapted to each wine.
We had visited Château Rasque and tasted and appreciated its wines over many years before initiating a meeting in 2022 to explore a commercial partnership. Those visits had given us a desire to introduce the wines in Norway.
Rasque is a family business, and the family appreciated that Haut de Gamme is one too. This shared background became part of the foundation for our partnership. Since 2022, Haut de Gamme has been the exclusive importer and representative of Château Rasque in Norway.
Cuvée Alexandra is Rasque’s rosé from Côtes de Provence. One of the specific choices made in production is the use of the first must drawn off after brief skin contact. On the wine page, we explain the method in more detail and present the current vintage and the 75 cl and 150 cl bottle sizes.
