Chene Bleu Abelard 2010
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Jeb
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Winemaker Notes
Deep, brilliant garnet color. Abélard’s rich brooding character lifts from the glass, displaying ripe, red fruit, black cherry and notes of sweet spice and mocha. Rich and concentrated; spice and silky tannins bring structure and depth. Finish is ample and lengthy.
Enjoy with roast beef, venison, duck and roasted vegetables.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
When tasting the 2010 Abelard alongside the Heloise, the derivation of the names becomes obvious. Abelard is the bigger, richer wine—the more "masculine," to deploy a somewhat dated/sexist stereotype. This full-bodied Grenache-dominated (85%) wine is packed with black cherries, star anise and other ground spices, and features a wonderfully long silky finish. Despite the size and concentration, the wine is complex and elegant, not an easy feat. It should drink well over the next 10-15 years.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Made from 80-85% old vine Grenache and the rest Syrah, the 2010 Ventoux Abelard is much more Provençal and has a ton of ripe black fruits, licorice, and leafy herbs, as well as some olive tapenade, in a full-bodied, concentrated, ripe, sexy style.
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Wine Spectator
Ripe and enticing, offering layers of fig, dark currant and blackberry fruit that are well-steeped but still detailed, woven with notes of anise, warm tobacco and roasted alder. Delivers a broad feel on the finish, with the wood playing a prominent role. Very solid. Grenache and Syrah. Drink now through 2022.
Other Vintages
2015-
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James
Suckling -
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Spectator
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Robert
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
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Spectator
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Robert
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Spectator
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Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
Blessed with a confluence of natural factors, Chêne Bleu has the benefit of an exceptional location, multifaceted geology, and a southern Rhone climate with soils more typical of the northern Rhone. The remarkable 340-acre estate had functioned as a working vineyard since the Middle Ages but was left untended for the majority of the 20th century, leaving the buildings in ruins. Xavier and Nicole Rolet purchased the property in 1993, enchanted by the secluded location of the vineyard and the history of the ancient monastery on site that had been built nearly 1,000 years ago. A decade of meticulous work was required to restore the priory and nurture the neglected vineyards back to biodynamic health. With time, each small improvement in the vineyard was seen to be rewarded ten-fold with qualitative results. The high-altitude vineyards benefit from warm daytime sun and cool nights allowing a longer, gradual ripening season. Grapes are picked up to five weeks later than the surrounding valley floor. The resulting wines embody the aromas and flavor of southern Rhone, together with the finesse and elegance of northern Rhone and the aging potential of the region’s finest AOCs.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
A long and narrow valley producing flavorful red, white, and rosé wines, the Rhône is bisected by the river of the same name and split into two distinct sub-regions—north and south. While a handful of grape varieties span the entire length of the Rhône valley, there are significant differences between the two zones in climate and geography as well as the style and quantity of Rhône wines produced. The Northern Rhône, with its continental climate and steep hillside vineyards, is responsible for a mere 5% or less of the greater region’s total output. The Southern Rhône has a much more Mediterranean climate, the aggressive, chilly Mistral wind and plentiful fragrant wild herbs known collectively as ‘garrigue.’
In the Northern Rhône, the only permitted red variety is Syrah, which in the appellations of St.-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Cornas and Côte-Rôtie, it produces velvety black-fruit driven, savory, peppery red wines often with telltale notes of olive, game and smoke. Full-bodied, perfumed whites are made from Viognier in Condrieu and Château-Grillet, while elsewhere only Marsanne and Roussanne are used, with the former providing body and texture and the latter lending nervy acidity. The wines of the Southern Rhône are typically blends, with the reds often based on Grenache and balanced by Syrah, Mourvèdre, and an assortment of other varieties. All three northern white varieties are used here, as well as Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourbelenc and more. The best known sub-regions of the Southern Rhône are the reliable, wallet-friendly Côtes du Rhône and the esteemed Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Others include Gigondas, Vacqueyras and the rosé-only appellation Tavel.