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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 Châteauneuf 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

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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)

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)

Prieuré de St Jean de Bebian Coteaux du Languedoc 2000: The first bottle is sadly very obviously corked, and not subtly so; this is more the sort of aromatic fault that fills the room the instant the cork is pulled. The second bottle is thankfully much cleaner. It is, however, really quite tight and closed down on the nose, more so than I expected. There is a dark, brooding, sweet-edged layer of fruit, with a very slightly ripe and roasted feel to it. Later it shows meat and iodine, with hot spices. Then comes a lovely texture on entry, one that persists all the way through the palate, matched by a rather forceful, raw structure. The texture is sweet still, there is ripe, substantial extract and a weighty, almost chewy element to it. A good wine, but the fruit seems too plump and soft-focus, albeit in a mature style, and the structure too raw to be truly great. There is time yet for some improvement though. From a 2000 Southern Rhône tasting. 16+?/20 (September 2009)

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 focused than the 2001 previously tasted, and with more oak. 15.5+/20 (February 2004) Label

Prieuré de St Jean de Bebian Coteaux du Languedoc 1998: A mature colour here, but still with a lot of dense pigment. Smoky, meaty, cigar and tobacco-laced fruit on the nose, and clearly plenty of appeal and interest. It has a lovely and supple texture and very complete composition on entry, with a structured texture through the midpalate and finish. There follows a deeply fruited character, with good grip underneath. It seems gentle, balanced and fresh, well defined rather than rich or velvety, with a stylish coating of tannin at the finish. It has a leaner feel than I recall from earlier in the year, but it has a dry extract which compounds this. Perhaps still with potential to age, thanks to its persistent and smoky, cigarry tannins. Very good indeed. From my 1998 vintage Ten Years On tasting. 17.5+/20 (November 2008)

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)

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

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)