CÉBÈNE,
A UNIQUE TERROIR
« LES BANCÈLS: THIS PARCEL [OF SCHIST] HAS BECOME A LIEU-DIT, THE SYMBOL OF CÉBÈNE ».
Willy Kiezer – Terre de Vins
“INSISTING ON SCHIST…. IT IS DEFINED BY THE SCHIST WHICH IS VISIBLE EVERYWHERE.”
Jancis Robinson MW
“Brigitte Chevalier is crafting stunning wines from schistous terroir, light on their feet, aromatic andbundled with ripe yet stemmy complexity, for grip and grace”.
Ned Goodwin MW
« BRIGITTE CHEVALIER REINTERPRETS THE FAUGÈRES APPELLATION WITH THE SERENE APPLICATION OF A CREATIVE CRAFTSWOMAN. SCHIST SOIL FASCINATES HER. SHE SEES IN IT A POTENTIAL FOR WINE THAT IS FINE, POISED AND AROMATIC ».
Jean-Marc Quarin
A unique schist outcrop
One of the elements that makes Cébène’s terroir so unique is the very deep bedrock, an outcrop of pure schist , combined with the presence of a particularly thin layer of organic matter on the surface of the soil.
This exceptional configuration encourages the vines to sent their roots down deep, drawing resources from the crevices between the sheets of schist.
This imposes a certain restraint on the vines while also ensuring a regular supply of water, protecting them from the vagaries of the climate. This is undoubtedly the mark of a great terroir and a guarantee of real minerality in our wines.
Faugères : La mémoire de la mer, La Revue du Vin de France.
Terroir-driven wines born in the north
Cébène’s vines are planted on north-facing slopes, which is unusual in the Languedoc but an asset for our vineyard which benefits from the pure air brought by the winds from the nearby forests and high mountains.
This exposure favours the production of balanced, elegant and distinguished wines.
Mountain vineyards
The constraints of altitude are also an asset in producing wines with a strong identity. This demanding terroir allows us to push the limits of the grapes’ expression, letting their birthplace speak for itself. The cuvée Les Bancèls is an illustration of this.
Setting up gradually, step-by-step (VitisBio).
Les Bancèls, a terroir of schist, at altitude
« A powerful place, where we like to recharge our batteries. With each step we take, we change direction, savouring new landscapes ».
The vines on this spectacular hillside follow the curves of the high schist terraces, surrounded by the garrigue scrubland. Mediterranean flora has grown spontaneously on the slopes of the terraces.
There are certainly more than 60 species of plants, trees and shrubs that have grown spontaneously (Terre de Vins)
Discover our wines and their distinctly different profiles:
