L'Ancienne Cure - Pécharmant l'Abbaye 2011

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

Well-structured, dense, and full-bodied, this red wine—with firm yet smooth tannins—is built to age and will put more than a few Bordeaux wines to shame.

About the estate:

Christian Roche has come a long way since obtaining organic certification in 2012 for his entire estate (50 hectares, including 33 for white wines and 17 for reds). He produces a wide range of impeccably crafted wines, both red and white. The entry-level wines are flavorful and approachable, the result of meticulous viticulture, while the top vintages are models of precision and complexity. In November 2021, Christian Roche passed away and made his wife Nathalie promise to carry on the legacy. And that is exactly what she is doing, supported by her children and her son-in-law.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

As a fifth-generation winemaker, Christian Roche inherited part of the family estate in 1984. Five years later, he set up his winemaking cellar. Based in the former presbytery of Colombier, he now manages a vast vineyard of over 40 hectares (predominantly white grape varieties) with varied soils, allowing him to offer a wide range of Bergerac wines, complemented by his work as a wine merchant and producer. A must-visit.
With a beautiful, intense, deep black color, this Pécharmant reveals a complex nose of red and black fruits mingled with spices and a hint of vanilla. The palate, equally aromatic (fresh fruit, spices, cocoa), is full-bodied, dense, and powerful, supported by firm tannins that are still a bit austere on the finish. All the hallmarks of a great wine for aging.

About the estate:

As the fifth generation to cultivate vines, Christian Roche inherited part of the family estate in 1984 and built his winery five years later. Based in the former presbytery of Colombier and with a 50-hectare vineyard (predominantly white grape varieties) on varied soils, cultivated organically, he had made his estate—supplemented by his work as a wine merchant and producer—one of the must-visit destinations in the Bergerac region. Following his untimely death in 2021, his wife Nathalie continues his legacy.

Guide des Vins Gault & Millau

About the wine:

It’s serious without taking itself too seriously. Rich and intense, with flavorful, supple black fruit and a beautifully textured palate. But without any showy tricks or excessive oak, for example. Just a lovely depth.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

A charming 2011 Abbaye—intense and smoky, with great depth.

About the estate:

A rectory atop the hill lends its name to the vineyard, whose rows wind down the slopes to the road where Christian Roche has set up his tasting room. The vineyard, which has been organic since 2012, encompasses several appellations—including 3 hectares in Pécharmant—and is divided into four lines: Jour de fruit, L’Extase, and L’Abbaye, plus a sulfur-free wine: Ça sulfit! While the range is modernizing with this label, all the wines remain true to the classic fundamentals of the Bergerac region. Christian Roche passed away in the fall of 2020, but the adventure of L'Ancienne Cure continues thanks to his wife Nathalie.

RVF - Guide des Meilleurs Vins à moins de 20 euros € - Gerbelle & Maurange

About the wine:

This red wine, grown on blue clay soils, offers deep, mineral, and smoky aromas. On the palate, it features concentrated body and magnificent flavors. Skillful barrel aging has refined the tannins. The finish is beautifully long and fragrant. It will continue to develop over the next five years.