Château Volterra
The Château Volterra has a wonderful backstory. Building began on the property (called Château Camarat) in 1890 by an Englishman, although no one knows who he was (his name is missing from the land registries). He was supposed to be building it as a love nest for a local girl he had met and fallen in love with. Stones were dragged from the local quarries by mules up the steep hill. Sadly, locals think the romance died. In 1926, Léon Volterra, a theatre impressario from Paris, again met a local girl, Simone, fell in love and bought the property. They settled in the area, he became mayor and Simone managed the house, welcoming people to lavish parties, including Josephine Baker. After her death in 1989, the estate was bought by a consortium of Canadian investors and is today managed as a business. The soil is made up of sand, clay and stone and is high in iron and other minerals. New vines were planted (the old ones were apparently in a woeful state of distress) and everything is done by hand on its six hectares. They produce red, white and rosé wine.
Château Volterra, Route de Camarat, 83350 Ramatuelle, France +33 (0)4 94 49 66 83