by Geoffrey Dean
When Harpers gave its Best Label Design Award for 2010 to Chene Bleu, months of original thought by the French winery's co-owner, Nicole Rolet, were recognised. The wines, first made in 2006, were very good too, even if they needed time to evolve, but their development in the past three years has lifted them to super premium level. Plaudits have rolled in from the likes of Bettane, Robinson, Parker and Spurrier, with the Frenchman trumpeting Chene Bleu as a new 'grand cru.' As a winery can't officially be one in this part of southern France, a 'Super Rhone' is perhaps more apt, particularly as the domaine has followed the example of the Super Tuscans in sidestepping appellation rules. One day, Chene Bleu may be spoken of with the same reverence as Sassicaia and Ornellaia. Its wines are that exceptional.
The entrance to Chene Bleu
The story of Chene Bleu's rise and rise is a heartwarming one. Situated on a ninth century priory near the old Roman town of Vaison-la-Romaine, the estate, known as La Verriere after its medieval glass-making tradition, became derelict in the 1960s when it stopped making wine. When Nicole's husband, Xavier, bought the property in the mid-1990s, he gave up his career as a financier to become a vigneron, but he was lured back into the corporate world and is now CEO of the London Stock Exchange. This has helped allow the Rolets to invest not seven but eight figures in a state-of-the-art winery and a complete restoration of the delightful priory.
Nicole Rolet
"When we started on the priory, one room had a fig tree growing in it and we needed a pneumatic drill to break through the sheep dung that had solidified feet deep in the medieval part," Nicole recalled. "We knew the whole investment was a huge risk, but I instinctively felt this terroir possessed something very special. It was Xavier's dream and passion. He was the one who set the crazy standard and the 25-year plan."
For the first ten years under the Rolets' ownership, La Verriere's grapes were sold to the local co-operative as there was no wine-making facility on the estate until 2006. What persuaded them to go it alone was the advice of Claude and Lydia Bourguignon, the renowned microbiologists. "It was very exciting for us to work with them," Nicole said. "Their analysis was that our site rested on a kind of Jurassic Park of micro-organisms with tremendous potential for world-class wines. This was extremely important to me as the time and investment was not worth it without this capability."
The oak tree at Chene Bleu, painted blue of course
There are several keys to La Verriere's location. Its elevation at around 630m on the slopes of the Dentelles de Montmirail, which adorn the skyline above the village of Gigondas, encourages cool nights , and with it higher acidity levels, as well as a long ripening season. Chene Bleu harvests in mid-October, at least a month later than most lower vineyards in the area. A poor top soil has meant vines have had to root very deep through clay and limestone, tapping into a treasure trove of minerals found in complex geological strata shaped by the formation of the Alps. "The Dentelles don't yield great wines easily, but when you plant in the right place and work hard, the results are amazing," Nicole mused.
The hard work in the vineyard and winery has been shaped by Zelma Long, the leading oenologist from California, and Philippe Cambie, the eminent French wine consultant. "Both have had enormous influence on us," Nicole added. "Zelma has been a mentor of the project, having come here early on and been very intrigued by the vineyard. We thought we'd set very high standards, but she moved the bar even higher. She was not proscriptive but helped us find our own way with ideas well-suited to our project. Philippe has also been extremely helpful, directing barrel work and blending."
The final pieces in the Chene Bleu jigsaw make it an all-family affair. Xavier's sister, Benedicte, is viticulturalist, while her husband, Jean-Louis Gallucci is winemaker. A former accountant for whom wine was a second career, Jean-Louis crafts the Chene Bleu wines with skill and imagination. "I make the wine I like, not for the appellation," he said. "We are not against the appellation but it is very restrictive."
Gallucci adds some viognier to his outstanding syrah/grenache Heloise 2007, made from vines that are 40 and 30 years old respectively. As he refuses to co-ferment the viognier, he does not conform to appellation rules and the wine therefore becomes Vin de Pays de Vaucluse. Hence the Super Rhone tag. His Abelard 2007 (90% grenache from the best parcels with 10% syrah) is also vin de pays as is the Aliot 2010, an enticing blend of roussanne, grenache blanc, marsanne and viognier. Both the excellent single varietal high altitude viognier 2011 and the 2012 old vine rose (grenache/syrah) are, however, AOC Ventoux.
The wines comes at a price (their range being £20-65), but they represent value, combining the freshness, acidity and minerality of the northern Rhone with the concentration, spice and garrigue of the southern Rhone. Immaculately balanced with beautifully integrated tannins, these wines will become increasingly well-known. The final word must go to Nicole Rolet. "We don't fit into established categories," she admitted, "but once people try our wines and get to know them, they are very well appreciated."