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Prieuré de St Jean de Bebian
Prieuré de St Jean de Bebian has been run by Chantal Lecouty, formerly a well established wine journalist, and her husband Jean-Claude Le Brun, since 1991. Together they owned the publishing group that included the notable French wine magazine Revue du Vin de France. Having decided to make the move from wine writing to wine making, Lecouty purchased Prieuré de St Jean de Bebian within hours of viewing it - having already let one estate slip through her fingers - almost twenty years after it had been established by Alain Roux. Roux was a wild card, choosing to plant the thirteen varieties of Chateauneuf du Pape when he established the vineyard around the old priory, despite many not being eligible for appellation status. Cuttings of the three principle varieties planted originated from Chateau Rayas (Grenache), JL Chave (Syrah) and Domaine Tempier (Mourvèdre), so it is clear that Roux was aiming for quality not quantity. Lecouty and Le Brun continue to work with these varieties.
The vineyards are complex, containing a variety of terroirs which are
host to all the above mentioned varieties. There are 28 separate plots of vines
altogether. The Grenache is happy on a bed of
clay and limestone, as well as some patches of limestone boulders over sandy
clay. As well as the cuttings from Chateau Rayas there are some old vines, over
eighty years of age. The Syrah basks in the sun sitting on seams of basalt
running through the limestone rock. Recent replanting has followed Roux's
original scheme, using cuttings from Chateau de Beaucastel to plant up 2 ha of
Syrah. Vineyard management sounds all but organic, with no use of pesticides or
fertilisers other than a little manure, and just Bordeaux mixture to treat
common vine afflictions. Yields are down at 25 hl/ha. Lecouty destems all the
Syrah and half the Grenache, and has introduced separate vinifications
for each variety rather than piling them all in the one vat as did Alain Roux.
There is also a mixture of a third each of new, one year old and two year old oak
now in use for maturation.
The red Prieuré de St Jean de Bebian comprises 40% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 25% Mourvèdre, the remaining 10% being accounted for by the other ten varieties. The white is predominantly Roussanne, typically 60%, with 20% Clairette, 10% Grenache Blanc and 10% Picpoul, possibly with a small amount of Bourboulenc also. These wines are bottled unfiltered. In addition there are young vine cuvées called Chapelle de St Jean, which see minimal filtration. (1/1/04)
Contact details:
Address: 44120 Pézenas
Telephone: +33 (0) 4 67 98 13 60
Fax: +33 (0) 4 67 98 22 24
Internet: www.bebian.com
Prieuré de St Jean de Bebian - Tasting Notes
Prieuré de St Jean de Bebian Coteaux du Languedoc
Blanc 2001: Predominantly Roussanne (60%), the remainder Bourboulenc,
Picpoul, Clairette and Grenache Blanc. Moderate colour. Some richness on
the nose, which is honey-edged. A lovely presence of rounded fruit on
the palate, with an oily quality, and cinder toffee notes. Very clean.
Interesting wine. From a
Southern Rhône & Languedoc 2001 horizontal tasting. 17+/20 (March 2003)
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Prieuré de St Jean de Bebian Coteaux du Languedoc 2001: Moderate depth of colour. Very expressive nose, with
sweet brambly fruit. Similarly sweet and roundly textured on the palate,
with smoke-edged bramble fruit. Firm, correct acidity. Lovely ripe
tannins. From a Southern
Rhône & Languedoc 2001 horizontal tasting. 17.5+/20 (March 2003)
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Prieuré de St Jean de Bebian Coteaux du Languedoc Blanc 2000: Plenty
of honey richness alongside the fruit present on the nose, and this is due in
part at least to some toasted oak influence. Very rich on the palate, medium
bodied, with plenty of texture and weight. Good fruit with a fair amount of new,
spicy, freshly toasted oak barrels as well. Soft acidity. Seems less focussed
than the 2001 previously tasted, and with more oak. 15.5+/20 (February 2004)
Label
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Prieuré de St Jean de Bebian Coteaux du Languedoc 1998: The colour
here suggests a little maturity, but there is still a lot of deep red pigment to
be found, right out to the rather dusky rim. At first it shows some intense
fruit, blackcurrants with a sweet pastille edge, but then a more attractive
side, dense, solid and concentrated, blackberry fruit and wisps of smoke. The
texture is dense and creamy, yet quite cool and detached, backed up by a dense
extract. Through the midpalate more structure shows, with some ripe but dry
tannins. This is quite broad in style, and is very pleasing, although it
possesses a firm body and a dry
character that makes this a good food wine, despite the richness behind it.
Slightly tight tannins at the finish though; this is still on the way up. Very
good indeed. From a 1998
Southern Rhône tasting. 17+/20
(February 2008)
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Prieuré de St Jean de Bebian Coteaux du Languedoc 1998: A moderately
deep, glossy colour. Plenty of deep, earthy, slightly rustic fruit on the nose,
with touches of garrigue scent. Full, with a touch of sweetness on the palate.
Somewhat closed and certainly very backward at this stage in its evolution, packed with firm, muscular
tannins. With time it reveals a little liquorice and black fruit but what this
wine needs most is time - four to six years minimum. 17+/20 (February 2004) Label
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Prieuré de St Jean de Bebian Coteaux du Languedoc 1996: This wine has a
much denser colour than those in flight one, deep
red-purple with no sign of age. Much tighter on the nose,
a touch austere at present, but it opens out to offer
aromas of charcoal and garrigue herbs. Ripe, austere,
prominent but not aggressive tannins on the palate. Good
acidity. Dark, spicy. peppery fruits sit with a creamy
texture. This wine has good structure for ageing. From a
Southern Rhône & Languedoc
1996 horizontal tasting. 17+/20 (July 2001)
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