Behind the Scenes at Château des Bertrands

Sometimes you just know. No words. Just a nod.

The first time the Après Provence founders tasted the wine, there were no drawn-out notes or debates. Just a look. A quiet nod. And a shared understanding: this was it. That’s the mark of a great winemaker.

Someone whose craft doesn’t shout, but still says everything.

There’s something about going back to where it began, especially when it’s a sunlit hillside just outside Saint-Tropez. The founders returned to Château des Bertrands this spring to witness their first full production run. Years of planning. One vineyard. A single glass. And the moment that vision finally became visible, etched into every bottle.

This is a behind-the-scenes look at how Après Provence rosé came to life. From the land that shaped it to the master behind the blend, here’s what it really means to build a wine around a lifestyle.

Return to Provence: A Winemaking Journey Comes Full Circle

Late spring in Provence: blue skies, warm stone underfoot, and the buzz of anticipation in the air. The Après team had returned to Château des Bertrands to witness something they’d been building toward for years. The first full production run of their rosé.

It wasn’t just a milestone, it was a moment. The clink of bottles on the line, the hum of quiet focus, the sunlight bouncing off glass.

“Seeing the first bottle roll off the line… it was emotional. We’ve created something really special,” Andy Turley, Founder.

To understand how the journey started, from first taste to vineyard partnership, you can explore the Après story here.

The Vineyard That Chose Us

Just inland from Saint-Tropez, nestled in the Var foothills, sits Château des Bertrands. Part heritage estate, part modern winemaking hub; it blends Provençal tradition with quiet precision.

The vineyard’s mineral-rich soil and long hours of Provençal sunlight give the wine its crisp character and signature clean finish. But it wasn’t just the terroir. From the first taste, the founders knew.

“We just looked at each other and nodded – we knew this was the one,” Toby Irons, Founder

Everything about the place aligned with the Après vision. Authentic. Scalable. Elegant without trying too hard. It wasn’t a vineyard they hoped to grow into; it was one that could grow with them.

A Winemaker of Few Words, with Many Layers

He doesn’t fill silences. He fills glasses.

The winemaker at Château des Bertrands — widely respected across France — lets his work speak first. There’s no showmanship here. Just a rare level of restraint, precision, and quiet confidence that shaped every bottle of Après from the start.

“He’s a man of few words, but everything he says is gold. The wine speaks for itself,” said Toby.

His approach is instinctive, not formulaic. It’s not about over-engineering the wine. It’s about letting the vineyard do the talking and ensuring that what’s in the glass is true to the soil, the sun, and the season. And that’s exactly what drew the founders in. This partnership was never going to be built on spreadsheets. It was built on instinct and mutual respect.

And it’s that quiet consistency that defines our rosé.

Developing the Blend: Crisp, Dry, Unmistakably Après

Grenache Noir. Cinsault. Syrah. Each was chosen not to stand out, but to work together. The result is a rosé that opens with freshness, finishes with clarity, and leaves a flicker of something just out of reach. Peach? Pear? Something more? You decide.

The colour? A whisper of blush. Subtle. Intentional. Pure Provence.

But this wasn’t just about flavour. It had to be a wine you’d reach for on a boat, after skiing, during a long Sunday lunch.

“The wine is fruit-forward, dry and crisp with a clean, mineral finish. It leaves you wanting more,” said Andy.

And it had to be consistent. Bottle to bottle, year to year. That’s why they stayed with Château des Bertrands, because nothing else tasted like this.

Discover the rosé in detail.

Bottling Day: Years of Work in Every Glass

It wasn’t just a technical milestone. It was a tangible, full-circle moment.

The sound of the bottling line echoed off the stone walls as tanks emptied into etched bottles, each one topped with a custom glass stopper. Chosen for its elegance, yes, but also because it reseals easily on boats, beach clubs, or wherever one bottle turns into two.

The cameras were rolling. The founders stood back and watched in real time as their vision poured into a bottle.

“It was emotional. Not just because it was finally happening – but because it felt right.”

For a moment, no one said much. Just the soft clink of glass and the quiet hum of something done right. This wasn’t a production. It was the making of a bottle that encapsulated a lifestyle.

And now, it was real.

Santé

What a Winemaker Leaves Behind

A quiet craft. A lasting impression. A story still unfolding.

There’s something quietly powerful about watching a winemaker work, not with spectacle, but with intention. What unfolded at Château des Bertrands wasn’t just a bottling. It was the culmination of years of careful decisions, shared values, and a refusal to compromise.

Après Provence isn’t here to chase trends. It’s built on consistency, character, and provenance, crafted with care by people who believe in where the wine comes from as much as where it goes next.

You’ll soon find Après pouring at more venues this season, each chosen for the same energy that runs through the bottle. Or you can bring that same taste home; order a case, pour a glass, and let the moment begin.

Want to see more of what goes on behind the bottle? Join the Après Club and follow us for updates and the stories that are still to come.