Blessed with a confluence of natural factors, Chêne Bleu has the benefit of an exceptional location, multifaceted geology, and a southern Rhone climate with soils more typical of the northern Rhone. The remarkable 340-acre estate had functioned as a working vineyard since the Middle Ages but was left untended for the majority of the 20th century, leaving the buildings in ruins. Xavier and Nicole Rolet purchased the property in 1993, enchanted by the secluded location of the vineyard and the history of the ancient monastery on site that had been built nearly 1,000 years ago. A decade of meticulous work was required to restore the priory and nurture the neglected vineyards back to biodynamic health. With time, each small improvement in the vineyard was seen to be rewarded ten-fold with qualitative results.

The high-altitude vineyards benefit from warm daytime sun and cool nights allowing a longer, gradual ripening season. Grapes are picked up to five weeks later than the surrounding valley floor. The resulting wines embody the aromas and flavor of southern Rhone, together with the finesse and elegance of northern Rhone and the aging potential of the region’s finest AOCs.

Abelard is their flagship Grenache Blend named after the famed Philosopher Pierre Abelard to reflect its forceful, brooding intensity and showcase the opulence and concentration of our old-vine Grenache, with some Syrah to add to the complex structure.

Tasting Notes: Supple and refined, with steeped black cherry and smoked plum liberally dusted with pepper. Smoky and brooding, showing a cool menthol note and tomato leaf herbaceous character. Bottle age has contributed to this wine's harmony and gracious earthy, potpourri character.

Made with organic grapes. Suitable for vegans. 

Varietal: Grenache and Syrah

Region: Vaucluse, Rhone Valley, France