Le Clos de Caveau wine shows Franco-Scottish organic is top

Le Clos de Caveau wine, in Oz Clark’s Wine Buying Guide 2006, came seventh among the top 20 wines that are listed, out of 250 ‘best-buys’. This unique AOC wine produced in the heart of Provence (in South-Eastern France) by a French/Scottish couple proves, if need be, that organic can rhyme with quality, tradition, and character.

[ClickPress, Thu Dec 14 2006] Le Clos de Caveau wine, in Oz Clark’s Wine Buying Guide 2006, came seventh among the top 20 wines that are listed, out of 250 ‘best-buys’. This unique AOC wine produced in the heart of Provence (in South-Eastern France) by a French/Scottish couple proves, if need be, that organic can rhyme with quality, tradition, and character.

The estate is currently run by Henri Bungener and his Scottish wife Janet, who took it over from Gérard Bungener (Henri’s father) in 1993. The wines, produced according to strict organic principles on the domaine, have received many awards, and their quality has been recognised by commentators, both inside and outside France.

Gérard Bungener – a pioneer in organic wine

The story behind the success of this wine is the story of a cooperative venture between two generations of the Bungener family. In 1976, Gérard Bungener bought Le Clos de Caveau, an estate tucked away in the wilds of northern Provence. He embarked immediately on major renovation of all the buildings and the wine cellar. It was an adventure that involved the whole Bungener family, with a constant stream of friends coming to lend a hand.
At the time, however, Gérard was suffering from a severe form of arthritis. He had tried many specialists and various conventional medical treatments, when he finally came upon a naturopath who shocked and revolutionised Gérard’s diet … as well as that of the family. All of a sudden stews and steaks with cream sauces were replaced by steamed vegetables sprinkled with flax oil. Frowns and complaints ensued but Gérard’s condition was cured. This gave him the firm conviction that, for both environmental and health reasons, the wine produced on the estate should be organic – a novel approach in those days. In fact not only novel but generally held in suspicion by the French public – it was thought that an organic wine could never be a serious wine. Gérard, however, continued quietly and steadily to produce his high quality Vacqueyras wine, but its organic identity remained discreet until Henri’s arrival.


The Auld Alliance takes over the domaine

By the time Gérard reached his seventies, he was ready to retire, having laid the foundations of a successful winemaking business in the increasingly competitive world of wine. Le Clos de Caveau had become a serious contender in the field of Grands vins under the Côtes du Rhône / Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC being the official origination certificate granted by the French authorities after rigorous checks are carried out, including blind tastings).

Gérard’s eldest son Alec was the most obvious candidate to take over the vineyard. He had participated in the work of the vineyard for four months every year since his father became owner. However, he and his wife and children were simultaneously engaged in sailing around the world the other eight months of the year; a project which is still ongoing 24 years later.

Next in line, Gérard’s youngest son Henri, decided in 1993, with his Scottish wife Janet, to have a go at running the vineyard whilst continuing with their psychoanalytic work in London. Three years earlier, in 1990, and without having any idea that they were later to run the domaine, Janet and Henri had got married in the village of Vacqueyras – a Franco-Scottish wedding in the heart of Provence.

When they took over the vineyard, Henri and Janet gave themselves two years to master the business of running Le Clos de Caveau – and, should their project fail, they would have to let the domaine go. By the end of the first year, Gérard had left, as the time had come for him to retire, and Bernard the winemaker who had assisted him, had decided to quit. What was a major crisis nevertheless turned into a golden opportunity, as Henri appointed Jérôme Guimberteau, a young and dynamic wine expert from Bordeaux, as steward (or régisseur) of the estate.

With the help of Jerôme’s expertise, Henri and his wife succeeded, in the space of two years, in improving the quality of the wine and its market positioning. They also decided that the time was right for official organic certification. All this was a new departure for Henri, who was saved by his entrepreneurial spirit, the support his wife lent him, a passion for good nutrition, a flair for cooking, and his broad awareness of wine-growing acquired thanks to his father’s expertise in running Le Clos de Caveau.

In 2004 after completing further professional training in London, it became possible for Janet and Henri to contemplate – for the first time – a permanent move to Vacqueyras. It was not an easy decision. With their children they were settled in London but the allure of Le Clos de Caveau won the day.


A unique estate in the heart of Provence

The domaine, today, is the symbol of this Franco-Scottish success story in the heart of Provence. The estate has an annual output of up to 50,000 bottles which are produced and bottled on the property to be sold around the world.
The 50-acre domaine lies along the slopes of the Dentelles de Montmirail overlooking the Rhône Valley, 20km east of Orange and 35km northwest of Avignon. At an altitude of 650 feet above sea level, it is surrounded on three sides by plots where Gigondas grapes are grown. The vines of Le Clos de Caveau are not only grown at higher altitudes than regular Vacqueyras land, but they are also concentrated on a single plot, sheltering behind a belt of Mediterranean forest. These remarkable microclimatic and geographical conditions make the area an exceptional location for organic winegrowing.

The site of Le Clos de Caveau has charmed many visitors. Indeed, one must love the place and the process of winemaking to run the domaine successfully, since nothing could happen without a lot of hard work.


The wine itself

Le Clos de Caveau Vacqueyras wine is an expression of a dedication to working with the individual character of the terroir through organic farming and excellent winemaking. Oz Clarke’s belief that wines should have “a sense of somewhere and somebody” aptly describes Le Clos de Caveau wine (Oz Clarke’s Wine Buying Guide 2006).

Manure is used as a natural fertiliser, young grapes are removed to increase the intensity and quality of the output, grape picking is carried out exclusively by hand, wild yeasts enrich the fermentation, there is no filtration and the wine is worked on for at least two years to mellow the tannins.

Grenache, Syrah and a touch of Cinsault compose the dark ruby coloured wine of Le Clos de Caveau, whose spicy aromas compete with those of ripe fruit. The taste has a finesse and intensity, endowed with ripe tannins and without dryness, which creates an elegant, yet powerful, wine.

Oz Clarke and fellow experts award national and international recognition
Officially certified as organic since 1995, Le Clos de Caveau wine has competed, in national, regional and local events, with non-organic wines, gaining gold, silver and bronze medals in the process. In numerous countries, many now know that red wine is actually good for one’s health (when consumed in moderation, of course), and that organic wine can be excellent, quite apart from the fact that ‘going organic’ ensures care and respect for both the product and the environment.

In Oz Clarke’s Wine Buying Guide 2006 (published by Time Warner/Webster Books), Le Clos de Caveau wine comes seventh out of 20 top wines, on the basis of a total list of 250 ‘best-buys’. The author praises it as offering “a memorable fruit intensity of mulberry and ripe cherries … as though their sweet syrup has congealed in the bottom of a baking dish. As though they tried to beat back the rocky tannins, the heady herbal scent and arrogant rasp of ancient river stones, and then thought – no, age will soften them, we can wait.”

Le Clos de Caveau wine has also been recommended in Decanter magazine of the UK, and in various wine guides – Hachette, Fleurus, Marabout and Les Bonnes Addresses du Vin Bio, as well as Best of Wine Ireland by John Wilson. Le Clos de Caveau wine has hit a Parker score of 88–91, while Stephen Tanzer has given it marks of 90–92.

About Le Clos de Caveau

In the UK, Le Clos de Caveau can be found on the Adnams Wine List (www.adnamswines.co.uk) and in the Irish Republic at Le Caveau Ltd, in Kilkenny (www.lecaveau.ie). In London, Le Clos de Caveau is available at Robert and Robyn Wilson’s exclusive French restaurants (www.bleedingheart.co.uk & www.thedonrestaurant.com). Le Clos de Caveau is looking for an importer for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Le Clos de Caveau will attend the Biofach trade shows at Nuremberg (Germany) from 15 to 18 February 2007; and the FoodEx in Tokyo (Japan) from 13 to 16 February 2007.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Kate AMBLER – Press Officer
French Technology Press Bureau (FTPB)
21, Grosvenor Place
London, SW1X 7TB (United Kingdom)
Telephone: 020-7235-5330
Email: contact.ftpb@ubifrance.fr

Bookmark this release: Del.icio.us - Digg - Furl - Blinklist - Reddit