The Prieuré Saint Jean de Bébian estate, spread over 32 hectares, is now made up of 43 different plots, all preserved for their geological diversity and exposure.
The red grape varieties (40% Grenache Noir, 30% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre and 10% Cinsault) are grown on soils of 3 types. There is a soil composed of Villafranchian limestone and clay-limestone, one of basalt from volcanic flows, and a third argillaceous-siliceous soil made of white quartz pebbles and travertine.
The white grape varieties, distributed between Roussanne (50%), Grenache Blanc (20%), Vermentino (15%) and Clairette (10%), have a soil composed of Miocene limestone, whose active limestone content approaches that of great white terroirs such as Chablis or Meursault.
At Prieuré Saint-Jean-de-Bébian, history is watching you. Cistercian monks, who arrived in the 11th century, began cultivating vines in 1152 on these Pézenas terroirs. Several figures from Languedoc wine have succeeded each other at the head of this emblematic estate, starting with Alain Roux, who in the 1970s introduced exceptional plant material, notably bringing Syrah from Domaine Gérard Chave, Grenache from Château Rayas and Mourvèdre from Domaine Tempier. In addition to this formidable plant heritage, the estate benefits from a mosaic of soils, plots, exposures and microclimates. The ambition today is to bring a breath of fresh air to the Priory and to revive the great wines of the past.
The estate continues to practice traditional cultivation and manual harvesting to respect its vines as much as possible. In the heart of the Coteaux du Languedoc appellation, the vineyard, stemming from massal selection, is classified as "Cru Pézenas". The recent arrival of young Benoît Pontenier has allowed the cru to rise to the rank it deserves! Demeter certification, removal of SO2, the wines have never been so appealing, floral and relaxed.
The wines produced, very Mediterranean, both powerful and balanced, are preferably consumed after long aging, from around ten years onwards. They have a very good capacity to age harmoniously while being generous and refined.
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