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Fortant



The true story of varietal wines in France

Stemming from an old-established wine tradition, the Skalli family has been in southern France since 1961. In the early 80s, they visited California and, in the Napa Valley north of San Francisco, discovered a new approach to winemaking where a single variety of grape was used to express the personality of a wine.		   What is a varietal ?
Like Arabica or Robusta in coffee, the varietal is a grape which, grown with skill in a type of soil and climate, will develop its complexity and reveal its aromatic richness in a wine made from a single variety of grape.



   
Create prime wines everyone can appreciate and afford : a revolutionary idea in the 80s   Create prime wines everyone can appreciate and afford : a revolutionary idea in the 80s

Back in France, they took the bold decision to introduce varietal wines to the South, where there were myriad unexploited terroirs. This innovating idea was revolutionary for a French wine industry tradition based on the AOC. Its relevance won over winegrowers and they began to plant Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and other varieties. This was the start of an ongoing quest for quality by careful selection of the terroirs and varieties and new methods of vine cultivation and vinification. With the help of its committed partners, the Skalli family worked hard on its ambition: to create an original and affordable class of prime French wines.



   
A new generation of wines was born and christened Fortant

By 1987, their determination had paid off. On the market arrived excellent white wines – Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc – baptised with a name that epitomised their makers’ passion and perseverance: Fortant! They were followed up by great red varietals: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. A bottle adorned with a bunch of grapes symbolising the variety and designs by artists from the Mediterranean rounded off the modern personality of these fruity, expressive and authentic wines ready to conquer the world.		   Create prime wines everyone can appreciate and afford : a revolutionary idea in the 80s



   
And how does the story end ?   And how does the story end ?

Nearly two decades later, the avant-garde Fortant is in the prime of life! The pioneer brand of French varietal wine has honed its skills and is as ever the best value for money in prime wines for the wider public. The crisp trend-setting sophistication of its latest bottle design shows its intention to give French varietal wines new powers of appeal..



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