Domaine L'Ancienne Cure - Monbazillac L'Abbaye 2015

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

Christian Roche has come a long way since obtaining organic certification for his entire estate (50 hectares, 33 of which are white and 17 red) in 2012. He produces a wide range of perfectly vinified wines, both red and white. The entry-level wines are tasty and easy to drink, the result of demanding viticulture, while the grand cuvées are models of precision and complexity. In November 2021, Christian Roche passed away and made his wife Nathalie promise to continue the adventure. This she did, supported by her children and son-in-law.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

With two Favorites, Christian Roche soars above an appellation that has particularly impressed tasters this year, with a truly remarkable level of quality. And this cuvée, which has already reached the top step several times, is quite simply exceptional. The color is a magnificent old gold, with amber nuances. The uncommonly complex nose evokes candied lemon, dried fruit, gingerbread, pepper and almond against a background of iodized scents. The palate is rich and surprisingly voluminous, but it's the subtle balance between sugar, acidity and alcohol that impresses. A great liquoreux that seems to suspend time and whose ageing potential seems infinite.

About the domain :

The fifth generation to cultivate vines, Christian Roche inherited part of the family estate in 1984, and set up his own winery 5 years later. Established in the former presbytery of Colombier, and boasting a 50-hectare vineyard (with a predominance of white vines) with varied soils, managed organically, he had made his estate, complemented by a wine merchant-breeder activity, one of the Bergerac region's must-haves. After his untimely death in 2021, his wife Nathalie continues his work.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

Gingerbread, tender honey with a fine smoky crunch, quince paste and apricot dominate the palate.

About the domain :

A presbytery at the top of the hill gives its name to the vineyard, whose rows tumble down the slopes to the road where Christian Roche has set up his sales cellar. The vineyard, organic since 2012, has several appellations, including 3 hectares in Pécharmant, and is divided into four: Jour de fruit, L'Extase and L'Abbaye, plus a sulfur-free wine: Ça sulfit! While the range has been modernized with this label, all the wines remain true to the classic Bergerac fundamentals. Christian Roche passed away in autumn 2020, but the L'Ancienne Cure adventure continues thanks to his wife Nathalie.