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Brézéme
Over ten years ago Eric Texier read about a lost viticulture area in the 1880’s book Les Grands Vins de France by Dr. Ramain. This once famous area is very similar to Hermitage, with its steep, south-facing slope, hillside vineyards. It is about 30 miles south of Hermitage, on the east side of the Rhone River, outside the town of Livron. The history of the appellation goes back to the last century, and in the early 1900’s, wines from Brézéme sold for as much as Hermitage. In the middle part of the century most of the vineyards were abandoned. There was less than one hectare planted in vines in 1961.
There are now 22 hectares in vines and Eric is the #1 bottler
of Brézéme, controlling more than a third of the current appellation. There is room for more vineyard plantings but this is a very complicated issue. From what I gathered on my magical visit is there are six owners but only four bottles it as Brézéme. Note: due to the microclimate
Brézéme is harvested end September to early October,
several weeks later than Hermitage.
Pouchoulin
First vintage was 1940 and he’s the Grandfather of Brézéme . His father made the wine before him and some of these 100 year old Syrah vines remain. All his vines are 60-100 years old. He is slowly turning over his vines of Syrah and Roussanne to Eric. In the 2000 vintage he is making only 55cs of red and less of white. This was the most moving visit we have ever made in all the years visiting cellars.
Pouchoulin age’s his Syrah for 30 months in barrel’s, which look like they are from the 40’s. We tasted: 2000 Blanc, 1999 and 2000 Rouge from barrel, plus the 1998 Rouge and 1999 Blanc in bottle. Also the 1989 Rouge that spend 2 months in new oak (the only time new oak was ever used) than 4 years in old wood. Bottled in 1994, this was the first time Pouchoulin tasted it since 1997.
Pouchoulin told us one interesting story. He read somewhere many years ago that the chemicals that you put in the vineyard will end up in the grape and the wine. So as he is his #1 customer, (he drinks half of his production himself) he went to organic farming as to not poison himself.
Jean-Marie Lombard
We did not visit this producer but did taste his 1995 Rouge (which showed flawed winemaking) the night before at Moulin de Lourmarin. Older vintages were said to be excellent here.
It’s the only reference to Brézéme we know of before Eric as they were at one time imported to the USA.
Chateau La Roliere
A grand family whom own a marvelous Chateau and the Clos La Roliere. In 1995 they left the Co-op to bottle themselves. The Clos is about six hectares of which Eric buys almost half. It’s located on the next ridge to the north of the main slope of Brézéme, slightly less steep, but still south facing. The vines are 25+ years old and Eric is assistant winemaker at this time. The wines are sold only at the Chateau.
We tasted: 2000 Rouge tank and barrel. 2000 Viognier, 1999 Roussanne/Marsanne blend, and 1999 Cuvee Speciale Rouge from bottle.
Eric Texier
We tasted with Eric five different barrels that will go into his 2000 Brézéme’s. He will bottle a V.V. this year for the first time from Pouchoulin’s steep terraced vineyards. He has also secured a few lots of other V.V. vineyards in such lesser-known appellations as Seguret (80 yrs old) and St Gervais (113 yrs old). We also tasted the 1998 Brézéme Blanc. Eric also found two other lost viticulture areas in the same old book.
One of which he is in the works of bringing to light,
but sorry we are sworn to secrecy:>)