Domaine Prieuré Saint Jean de Bébian, covering 32 hectares, is now composed 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 different types. There is a soil composed of Villafranchian limestone and clay-limestone, one of basalt from volcanic flows, and a third argilo-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 wine terroirs such as Chablis or Meursault.
At Prieuré Saint-Jean-de-Bébian, history watches over you. Cistercian monks, who arrived in the 11th century, began cultivating vines as early as 1152, on these Pézenas terroirs. Several figures from Languedoc viticulture have succeeded each other at the head of this emblematic estate, starting with Alain Roux, who in the 1970s implemented exceptional plant material, sourcing Syrahs from Domaine Gérard Chave, Grenaches from Château Rayas, and Mourvèdres 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 in order to respect its vines as much as possible. In the heart of the Coteaux du Languedoc appellation, the vineyard, stemming from mass 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, elimination of SO2, the wines have never been so inviting, floral, and relaxed.
The wines produced, very Mediterranean, both powerful and balanced, are preferably consumed with long aging, from about ten years onwards. They have a very good capacity to age harmoniously, being generous and refined.
Â
