Prieure Saint Jean de Bebian 2006
Prieure de Saint Jean de Bebian, or Priory of Saint Jean of Bebian in English. Its very name contains two chapters in the story of this wine making estate.
Bébian refers to Bebianus, the retired centurion who was granted these lands upon his retirement from the Roman legions in the 1st century CE. By this time Pliny the Elder had already written praise for the vineyards in the vicinity of Béziers, the Roman town closest to Bebianus’ new estate.
With the fall of the Roman Empire Bebianus’ lands returned to obscurity until they were rediscovered by the Cistercians who built the priory church of Saint Jean in 1152 and began replanting the vineyards. By the 17th century the vineyards of Bebian passed into the hands of merchants based in Pézenas, the wines from which caught the attention of the Prince of Conti and his retinue including the famed playwright Molière. Handed down from generation to generation, Bebian eventually came into the possession of Alain Roux who replanted many of the vines of the property sourcing the best massale selections of Syrah from Chave, Grenache from the Rayas and Mourvedre from Tempier. Alain also established the early reputation of Prieuré Saint Jean de Bébian with his iconoclastic wines and temperament.
Prieure de Bebian is currently under the stewardship of Karen Turner, an enologist from Australia who came to Bébian in 2004, the wines from this estate (including this bottle, Prieure Saint Jean de Bebian) are more elegant and winsome than ever.
Karen farms over 43 plots of vines totalling 32 hectares. There are three primary terroirs on the estate: gravelly clays reminiscent of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, paler and chalkier limestone soils similar in structure to Chablis and sandier clays from weathered basalt and travertine. The estate grows mainly mediterranean varieties: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Roussanne, Clairette, Picpoul, Viognier, Bourboulenc, and Grenache Blanc with a smaller amounts of Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay. Their oldest vines, head-pruned Grenache, date back to the 1920 but the majority of the vines are about 30 years old. Each variety is matched to the appropriate terroir – reds on the heavier, gravelly clays and volcanic soils and whites on the chalky, pale limestone.
Harvests are conducted by hand. Each variety is fermented separately. The whites are pressed immediately upon arriving at the cellar are are fermented in barrel or tank. The reds are fermented in 18th century cement tanks and see long macerations ranging from 3-9 weeks depending on the variety. Aging takes place in tank, 600L and 228L French oak barrels depending on the variety and expression. Generally Grenache and Cinsault are kept in tank to preserve their fruitiness while Syrah and Mourvedre are aged in barrel.
Region: AOC-Coteaux du Languedoc
Vintage: 2006
Grape Type: Syrah, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre
ABV: 14.5%
Soil: Camplazens is on a table top plateau consisting of Mediterranean red soils with a sandy, silt and clay mix on a limestone base. From a geological perspective, the soils of Camplazens are very different from the other areas on La Clape Moreover, the expected yields are much lower, in other words here we have Un Grand Terroir.
Weather conditions: The Languedoc Roussillon French region, located in the south of France is renowned for its dry and warm climate throughout the year especially for its mild winters and really hot summers. Languedoc Roussillon is lined along its southern side by the Mediterranean Sea. This is the reason why Languedoc region soaks in sweetness and warmth all year long. On average there are 2,506 sunshine hours a year. The region is a dry region of France, rainfalls are rare but can be really violent.
Wine making / Ageing: All grapes are hand picked at optimum maturity in 15/20 kg baskets then transported in small batches immediately to the winery. Grape varieties vinified separately in stone tanks from the 18th century and cement vats. Maceration takes between 6 and 9 weeks depending on the variety and quality of tannin. Grapes are pressed by pneumatic press. Only the free running juice is maintained. Malo-lactic fermentation in barrel for the Syrah and Mourvèdre and in tank for the Grenache.
Syrah and Mourvèdre matured for 12 to 18 months in new, 1 year old and 2 years old Burgundian oak casks of 228 and 600 liters. Grenache left in stainless steel tank to preserve its fruit. Wines are blended prior to bottling to create this Prieure Saint Jean de Bebian beauty.
10 to 12 years is a good age for Prieure Saint Jean de Bebian to be consumed.
Tasting: THIS WINE MUST BE DECANTED for at least 90 minutes (2 hours if time permits) to allow Intense aromas of plum, cherry, black pepper and spice and cigar box to develop. This wine is full bodied, powerful and complex. . Intense fruit flavours mixed with spices, tobacco and liquorice. Highly structured with elegant, fine grained tannins. Long finish.
Food Pairing: Pair Prieure Saint Jean de Bebian with rich and complex meals. It will overpower anything less than substantial.
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