Prieuré Saint-Jean de Bébian "Les Moutons" Vin de France Rouge, Languedoc-Roussillon, France 2023

FROM WILLIAMS CORNER WINE:

THE WINE: A pure Mourvèdre, from an old plot on fluvial terraces, with rolled pebbles and grey clays. Whole bunch vinification preserves all the energy of the grape, then twelve months of aging in foudres sets the structure without hardening it. The wine opens with black fruits, dried herbs, a hint of pepper, and that Mediterranean undertone reminiscent of garrigue without being heavy. The palate is deep, structured, yet surprisingly fresh, with tight tannins and real length. A Mourvèdre with character, more vertical than massive.

THE PRODUCER: The wines of Prieuré St Jean de Bébian are the product of a place with an incredible history, dating back to antiquity: the first historical record of the estate is of when it was gifted to a Roman centurion, Bébianus, in the first century CE. The Cistercien monks built the priory of St Jean in the 17th century–today, the monumental building is still the centerpiece of the property and now serves as a hotel and restaurant.

The “modern” history of the estate begins in 1960, when Alain Roux took over the property. There were already beautiful old vines on the property, and he expanded the plantings with help from his famous neighbors: Syrah from Gérard Chave, Grenache from Jacques Reynaud, and Mourvèdre from the Peyraud family. His work established St Jean de Bébian as one of the pioneers showing the potential to make top-quality wines in this part of France.

Today, St Jean de Bébian has some of the most beautiful old vine plantings in the Languedoc. The vines are planted across a wide diversity of soils, including galets roulés from ancient riverbeds, limestone deposits, and volcanic basalt soils. These volcanic soils in particular are rare to find in southern France, and when mixed with the limestone and large pebbles found across the estate, they make up a terroir that’s almost unique to St Jean de Bébian, producing extraordinary and singular wines.

NOTE: This bottle is allocated and therefore stock is limited. Discounts do not apply to this product.