Abbaye de Valmagne (Coteaux du Languedoc)

An abbey with vineyards... The Abbaye de Valmagne is at the same time an architectural marvel, and a Coteaux du Languedoc winery . It is located between Montpellier and Beziers, on D5 road, a dozen km from the mediterranean sea . The history of this abbey , built in the 12th century, is tumultuous, as it went through wars of religions, prospered again, then with the french revolutionary terror and chaos was close to destruction, and somehow was saved by becoming a winery . This is the famous abbey-turned-winery, with its huge casks in the church.... Be ready for a true religious experience . Wine is sacred here ...

We arrive early in the afternoon . Although the Abbaye is open to visitors for tasting and visit, we had called in advance to have Mr Phillippe d'Allaines, the owner, tell us about the domaine and the wines . While we wait for him, we take a look at the many books on display . They are about cistercian abbeys, benedictine monasteries, about trappists, cathars , Citeaux , protestants in Languedoc . On the wall , a medal and prize awarded in an "exposition vinicole" on march 10th 1868 in Montpellier, that points to noticeable quality wines long time ago .
Philippe d'Allaines's family owns the abbey since 1838 . It was built in 1138, as a benedictine abbey first, then soon joined the cistercian order . Cistercian monks planted a vineyard, like they did in most of their abbeys including of course in Burgundy .
The domaine today has 70 hectares of vineyards . Wine production went quite uninterrupted for 8 centuries . And as said before, wine literally saved the monuments, as in the revolutionary chaos, a new owner who bought the place in 1791, used the church to make wine and store wine casks , thus preventing the buildings to serve as stone quary, as it often happened after religious buildings were deserted . Later, in 1838, the Count of Turenne, an ancestor of the present owner, bought the estate-abbey and continued its wine production .
Philippe d'Allaines tells us about a forgotten red grape variety they work with here : Morastel, known as Graciano in Spain ( small percentage in Rioja wines ). In 1860, the abbey had 1/3 planted in Morastel, but as often, the phylloxera brought havoc with the grape varieties and Morastel was not among the replanted varieties . This a capricious late variety with small yields . After asked the authorization to INAO to replant it, it was so much appreciated at the degustation tries that followed, that it was accepted right away as recommended grape variety . It is now blended in the "Le Secret de Frère Nonenque" cuvée ( 25 000 bottles/year ) . Mr d'Allaines lobbies to have the Morastel included in an AOC now . The positive side of this variety is that with just a small quantity of it, the wines get a nice acidity, plus specific aromas : Cooked jam, chocolate, caramel, orange peel . Replanting in the domaine was done 10 years ago .

Sun ray in the wine temple Tasting the wines now . The tasting room is a majestic, high vaulted room, with an oversized chateau-like fireplace . As the temperature outside is cold, a fire crackles, heating barely the close proximity . __1 White : "Frère Nonenque" 2003 . Viognier-Marsanne . This wine range was developped not long ago after realizing that making high end wines was not enough . It is important also to offer wines in the lower price bracket where many consumers are present . 4,8 Euro . Fresh . Good with goat cheese . __2 White . Abbaye de Valmagne, Coteaux du Languedoc 2003 (classical cuvée) .Roussanne, marsanne, Viognier . More rounded , more strength . __3 Red . Frère Nonenque 2003 __4 red . Abbaye de Valmagne , Coteaux du Languedoc 2001 (cuvée classique) . Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache . Red fruits ( the Syrah side ). Smoaked meat, garrigue (Mourvedre side ) 6 Euro . __5 Red . Cuvée de Turenne 2001 . On red sandstone soil . Named from the ancestor who bought the domaine-abbey in 1838 . 1/3 in casks . More balanced than the former . Can be left 10-15 years in the cellar before drinking . We then join a small group of people to visit the abbey, guided by a woman who seem to be an expert on architecture . First, the church . This is memorable . Imagine a big 83 meter long and 24 meter high gothic church , completely empty except for 18 huge casks . These casks ( foudres ), some with more than 400 hectoliter capacity, are spread all around the church and were in use until 1986 ( the oldest were made in the 1820's ) . A church is somehow cool even in summer and the wine surely felt at home here . The contemplation of these large casks in the nave and apsidal chapels make you think of a mysterious temple dedicated to wine . A side door goes to the cloister and the chapter house . The whole place is beautifully preserved and some restoration work is regularly done . Although the revolutionary mobs ransacked the place and burned all the books, papers , furniture and works of art shortly after the monks fled, the buildings largely survived unscathed , also thanks to their use as cellar shortly after the 1789 revolution, in 1791. Near the fountain in the cloister , a curiosity : A nearly 170 year old vine that survived the phylloxera [ see picture below ]. It is so big . I want to see it in the season, with its leaves and grapes . As curious as it may seem, the grape variety is not clearly known .

Comments

[Joseph Huffman]

Mailing info for mailing list: Joseph Huffman 5830 SE Burnside Portland, OR 97215 USA

[Billee Madsen]

I visited the abbaye in Sept, I agree with everything you say. Certainly a religious experience. Hoping to visit again this June. It will be nice to see things in the spring - hopefully on a sunny day. Wines are fantastic!!

[Cloey Myers]

hey wine is good for you and this sounds like a lot of fun to become a wine grower it would be great to go there on a trip one day

[Hanna Macek]

Hello from Austria
I am collecting wine-labels. Please, is it possible to send me some labels for my collection ?
If you want, I can send a self-addressed envelope and international postage.
Thank you in advance and kind regards

Hanna Macek
Schulstrasse 1/4/15
A 2421 Kittsee /Austria

[B. GARRIGUES]

would like to find out what the word garrigue is about at your winery ,what it means ? thanks