“The boutique winery from Languedoc superstar, Jean-Marc Lafage, Château Saint-Roch offers incredible value wines with a true sense of place and a very obvious artisan’s touch! They are wines for the everyday, but that also boast a complexity and elegance that rewards the patient and those who wish to take their time over a bottle or two amongst friends.” Peter Wallbridge, Enotria&Coe Wine Buying Manager

The Story: Returning to their roots

Château Saint-Roch in Maury is a story of roots. Since 1798, the first 5 generations of the Lafage family were winegrowers and made their home in Maury. When Jean-Marc and Eliane had the chance to buy the highly reputed Château Saint-Roch, their dream to return to their heritage and make wine once again in their home village, Maury, became a reality. The estate, ideally placed between a field of olive trees and a sparkling stream, is overlooked by the Cathar castle of Quéribus, an extraordinary fortress, perched high on a rocky ridge. Jean-Marc and Eliane are gradually taking on more land worked by the ancestors of the family.

Situated amidst the breathtaking landscapes of the Agly Valley, halfway between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean sea, near the Spanish border, Château Saint-Roch boasts 44 hectares of vineyards, where centuries of winemaking tradition converge with modern innovations and extensive viticultural research. The vineyards of Château Saint-Roch benefit from the region's unique terroir and microclimate, producing a range of varietals, including Grenache Blanc, Grenache Noir and Syrah, mostly from older vines.

With roots tracing back to the late 18th century, the Lafage family has been integral to the winemaking legacy of Roussillon. Jean-Marc Lafage, a visionary winemaker with a global perspective, together with his partner Eliane, travelled the world as flying winemakers in the 1990s, starting with research at Gallo's facility in California, then working in Australia, including estates such as Brokenwood and De Bortoli. They also spent time in South Africa, Chile, Italy and Spain to expand their experience. They returned to Roussillon in the early 2000s to take over the family domaine, acquiring Château Saint-Roch in 2006.

Jean-Marc and his team have revitalised the estate, transforming it into a beacon of excellence within the Roussillon wine scene, leading in sustainability through meticulous restoration and modernisation efforts. This includes pioneering agroforestry work, ground-cover research, biodiversity initiatives, water management, biochar usage, drought-tolerant varietal trials, bottle weight reduction, and carbon footprint auditing.

"We are excited to embark on this journey with Enotria&Coe," said Jean-Marc Lafage, Owner and Winemaker of Château Saint-Roch. "Their reputation for quality and their market expertise aligns perfectly with our values and our commercial goals and we look forward to growing our customer base with them."

Here at Enotria&Coe, the partnership with Château Saint-Roch as an exciting opportunity to expand our portfolio with wines that epitomise the essence of Roussillon terroir, and recognise the great value these quality driven wines deliver, perfect for customers wishing to embrace a traditional, authentic estate.

"We are thrilled to welcome Château Saint-Roch to the Enotria&Coe family. Their commitment to sustainable practices and Jean-Marc’s longstanding winemaking expertise resonates with our mission to offer our customers exceptional quality wines with a real sense of place." Ants Rixon, Managing Director at Enotria&Coe

Château Saint-Roch’s wines

L900 | Tangerina Orange Wine 2022, Château Saint-Roch | £14.80 per bottle ex VAT Duty Paid List Price

L901 | Corbarol Rouge, Côtes du Roussillon 2021, Château Saint-Roch | £10.06 per bottle ex VAT Duty Paid List Price

L902 | Corbarol Rosé, Côtes du Roussillon 2023, Château Saint-Roch | £10.06 per bottle ex VAT Duty Paid List Price

L903 | Corbarol White, Côtes du Roussillon 2023, Château Saint-Roch | £10.06 per bottle ex VAT Duty Paid List Price

L904 | Vieux Figuier White Organic 2023, Château Saint-Roch | £14.80 per bottle ex VAT Duty Paid List Price

L919 | Chimerès, Côtes du Roussillon Villages 2020, Château Saint-Roch | £13.71 per bottle ex VAT Duty Paid List Price