L'Ancienne Cure - Pécharmant l'Abbaye 2011

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

Well-structured, dense, and well-defined, this red wine—with firm but not harsh tannins and built to age—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 perfectly 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 the fifth generation to cultivate vineyards, Christian Roche inherited part of the family estate in 1984. Five years later, he set up his winemaking facility. Based in the former presbytery of Colombier, he now manages a vast vineyard of over 40 hectares (predominantly white grape varieties) with varied soil types, 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, and deep black color, this Pécharmant reveals a complex nose of red and black fruits intermingled with spices and a subtle hint of vanilla. The palate, equally aromatic (fresh fruit, spices, cocoa), is full-bodied, dense, and powerful, supported by firm tannins that are still slightly austere on the finish. It possesses all the attributes of a great wine with aging potential.

About the estate:

As the fifth generation to cultivate vines, Christian Roche inherited part of the family estate in 1984 and, five years later, set up his winemaking facility. 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—complemented by his work as a wine merchant and winemaker—one of the leading names 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. Dense and intense, with flavorful, supple black fruit and a beautifully textured palate. But without any showy tricks or excessive oak, for example. Just 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 inner strength.

About the estate:

A rectory atop the hill gives its name to the vineyard, whose rows wind down the slopes to the road where Christian Roche has set up his wine shop. The vineyard, which has been organic since 2012, includes 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 lineup has been modernized 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 L’Ancienne Cure adventure 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 great depth of mineral and smoky aromas. On the palate, it is concentrated and boasts magnificent flavors. The skillfully managed barrel aging has refined the tannins. The finish is beautiful and fragrant. It will continue to develop over the next five years.