On the border with Provence

The Romans called it Provincia and it was from here that Julius Cesar began his conquest of Gaul. It later became the southern shore of modern France and it is the part of that country that can boast the oldest winemaking tradition, older than the medieval one in Burgundy and the Roman one in Bordeaux. The Abbaye Saint-Marie de Pierrendon dates back to the 13th century and the vineyards on the hills surrounding it have thousands of years of tradition with the wine representing an almost ancestral cultural heritage for the area. The abbey is not far from Avignon, with its magnificent wines, and Aix-en-Provence. Saint-Remy de Provence is about halfway between them, near Salon, and here the vineyards seem to be a natural part of the landscape and the local culture, along with the Cyprus trees, olive groves and fields of lavender.

There are 11 hectares of vineyards with Grenache, Cinsault, Rolle (Vermentino), Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, all organically cultivated, for an annual production of 40,000 bottles. The consulting enologist is Antoine Durrbach, an heir of the family that owns Domaine de Trevallon, perhaps the most famous winery in the area.

I tasted two of Abbaye Saint-Marie de Pierrendon wines, a Rolle 2015 and a Merlot 2013.

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