Return to Previously Sold listings
From the "Wine Doctor"
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 Château 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 Château 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 Château 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.
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)
Menu
Have a similar item to sell?
Start now
United Kingdom 
