Winemaker Notes
Chêne Bleu Rêve de Scipion is crafted from a blend of 64% Grenache, 26% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre grapes grown in the high-altitude vineyards of the Dentelles de Montmirail in the Southern Rhône. The vineyard's unique microclimate, with its cooler temperatures and significant diurnal variation, allows for a slow ripening process, enhancing the wine's complexity and balance. The wine undergoes fermentation in stainless steel tanks to preserve its fresh fruit character, followed by aging in French oak barrels to add depth and structure. Aromas of wild berries cracked pepper, and a soft spiced lead into notes of black cherry, licorice and dark chocolate. On the palate, it's silky and well-structured with fine tannins and a lingering balanced finish.
 
Vineyard Profile
The Grenache noir is over 65 years old, north-west facing at 530m, and the Syrah is up to 55 years old, south-west facing at 540m, while the Mourvèdre is around 10 years old. The vines are pruned in single and double cordon de Royat, with 5-6 shoots per cordon, and are all planted in limestone marl soils.
 
Aging
The bunches are all fully destemmed and the Mouvedre is loaded in wooden tanks, while the Syrah and Grenache are loaded in stainless steel tanks. A long maceration occurs for 30 days with light pumpovers, and the wine is aged in oak barrels ranging from 3-6 years old, for a total of 12 months.
 
ABOUT THIS PRODUCER
In 1993, Xavier and Nicole Rolet began the task of restoring a medieval priory and vineyard that had been slumbering quietly for centuries in the beautiful foothills of Mont Ventoux, in the southern Rhône region of Provence. Though several parts of the house date back to the ninth century, the estate was named La Verrière in 1427, after the glass-blowing workshop established there by Aliot de Montvin.
Chêne Bleu's guiding principle is to preserve the integrity and history of the estate and its “terroir” while enhancing its exceptional character. Having been exposed to many different cultures and approaches, and inspired by the Romans’ belief in the value of things shared, the Rolets have sought to combine grassroots wisdom with respect for nature, international know-how, and avant-garde techniques.
With exacting qualitative and biodynamic practices, the vines have flourished and now yield results worthy of the estate’s proud tradition. To do justice to the quality of the grapes, Chêne Bleu has a state-of-the-art, gravity-fed winery. The vintages bear the hallmark of their efforts; they are completely natural, yet elegant, refined, and complex. The label is "Chêne Bleu" after a magnificent, venerable “blue” oak tree on the estate that symbolizes the beauty and uniqueness of the vineyard and its wines.
Diversity is essential to the Chêne Bleu approach: the vineyards are divided into "micro-terroirs" according to the deposits of different minerals in the soils, distributed over the entire site. Harvested only by hand, with rigorous pruning throughout the year, the result is exceptional grape quality and deliberately tiny yields, on average one-half to one-third the production of premium cuvée Châteauneuf-du-Pape reds.