A TREE-BUTE TO OUR MIGHTY BLEU OAK TREE WHICH STANDS NO MORE
TIME TO TURN OVER A NEW LEAF
FAREWELL, OLD FRIEND
The day we’ve been expecting is finally upon us: our beautiful blue oak tree was taken down by the Mistral in the storm that hit hard last week at the tail end of harvest. We knew this day was coming for a long time and our dear “Chêne Bleu” long outlived our expectations. We have a number of ideas and plans already in the works for ways to celebrate and honor our original icon, which you will find below, along with the chance to receive a prize for helping us : )
NATURE RUNS HER COURSE
Fifteen years ago when our “Chêne Bleu” suffered in a drought and lost its leaves, we were told it would only survive a few more years as microorganisms would eat away at the roots. We had debated whether it made sense to name our entire wine project after a tree near the end of its life. But we decided that this stunning piece of natural art, shaped and weathered by the elements, was the perfect metaphor for our desire to work within the parameters of Nature and make exceptional wines by her rules. As the end approached, we cordoned off the area to protect visitors from wandering down to that section of the vineyard to see the orchard, medieval potager, wild boar spa and now our new, improved apiary sitting on the terraces right at the foot of the tree.
YOU HAD A GOOD LIFE, FULL OF PURPOSE AND BEAUTY
Chêne Bleu clients who have already been initiated into our friendly ‘fraternity of the Blue Oak’ know that our site, La Verriere, has medieval origins including a priory that once welcomed Templar monks– a mountain saddle high in Provence prized for its natural beauty, pristine isolation and rich flora and fauna. An ancient oak forest surrounds our vineyard, serving as the original protector of the vines and a vital pillar of our precious ecosystem. A witness to the rich history of this hallowed terroir, our Chêne Bleu presided majestically for several centuries over the vineyard from the border of the forest.
HOW YOU GOT YOUR BLUE HUE
When it lost its leaves in the great drought of 2005, we enlisted the help of Marc Nucera, the young Provençal tree sculptor of international repute, to protect it. He treated its branches with ‘bouillie bordelaise’, the blue-green solution used as a natural fungicide in vineyards around the world. The distinctive blue color highlighted the striking beauty of its shape and the enduring inner strength of its architecture. It was instantly transformed into an arresting piece of natural art.
A MEANINGFUL METAPHOR
Coincidentally, that was the year we made our first wines in our own tanks; we had been searching for a name for our fledgling winery, enlisting ideas from friends around the world. Suddenly it struck us… the tree’s uniqueness seemed a perfect symbol for our overarching intent: to preserve and protect the very essence of this historic site, to enhance its exceptional quality and character by bringing an edgy new take on tradition. And so the Chêne Bleu was born. We dutifully repainted it every year and it has directly inspired tributes as others have painted mini “chêne bleus” in its honor as far away as Champagne, California and even a wine bar in Beijing.
THE MIGHTY MICROBIOME
During the past two decades here on Planet Chêne Bleu, we have learned more than we could ever have imagined (often the hard way) about what it takes to transform passion and a willingness to learn into effective stewardship of the natural world. We put endless time and attention into understanding every aspect of the infinitely delicate yet powerful ecosystem we call home, looking to improve how we protect and enhance its natural balance. We learned to kowtow to one of the most fundamental laws of Nature: MICROORGANISMS CALL THE SHOTS! Our ecosystem cannot function properly without them. They are in charge of every facet of fine winemaking: terroir, grape maturation, fermentation, oak aging… and yes, even of the mighty Chêne Bleu, whose aging root system could not withstand the Mistral winds in the recent storm.
HELP US PAY A PROPER TREE-BUTE
Our beloved tree has been an ever-present reminder of our ethos to let Nature run its course, and we will now give it a rightful homage. At La Verrière, an entire forest of “young buck” oaks stand at the ready to accept their ‘bleu livery’ in whatever way we decide is appropriate over the coming months for a very oaky Changing of the Guard. To our friends who have visited La Verrière and Chêne Bleu, we would love for you to send us photos you have with the oak tree to contact@chenebleu.com. We will create an online compendium here. Please specify if we can use your name and how you would like it to appear, and if possible, include the date, or at least the year. You are also welcome to share any memories, poems and/or your own Tree-bute by email or in the comments section below.
CHÊNE BLEU 2.0: A SPECIAL REWARD FOR YOUR IDEA
As we begin to work on our plans to honor our original icon, we welcome any suggestions with open arms and ears, and would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. A special prize is in store if we are inspired by your idea and it gets selected! Write to us at contact@chenebleu.com for the details.
Stay tuned for more news on this front, as we take it as the symbolic start of a new chapter in our life as a winery. We take this opportunity to thank all of our wine friends who, like the Chêne Bleu, have watched over our journey thus far and enhanced it with your distinctive contribution: our intricate ecosystem would not function properly without YOU!
