Press & Reviews Archive
TZ München — "Noble winery with beautiful rooms and a restaurant at luxury level" (trans. from German).
Travel Curious Often — branded by wine critics the "First Super Rhône": pristine, self-sufficient, producing award-winning wines.
Vivant: The Magazine — "Best Wine Course in the World" (Condé Nast Traveler): a sanctuary where history, nature, sustainability and hospitality seamlessly intertwine.
Decanter (Natalie Earl) — Astralabe Blanc 2024, 92 points: intensely zesty yet softly floral, with a stony, mineral finish; certified organic and bee friendly.
Vins d’Altitude (André Domié) — "one of the most spectacular estates" in the Ventoux: wines that turn southern sun and cool altitude into stimulating experiences (trans. from German).
StayOne — "home of award-winning wines and simply stunning grounds": the very highest standards of service and hospitality, hailed as an eco-luxury retreat.
Le Vigneron (Jean-Luc Barde) — Abélard 2014, eight years’ bottle age, a "red velvet" that delights the palate (trans. from French).
Nat Geo Traveller — "critically acclaimed Chêne Bleu wines": an estate garnering worldwide recognition, pioneering regenerative viticulture.
Forbes (Lana Bortolot) — "a world-class hospitality venue," and a "winemaker’s winery, built by real winemakers, not consultants."
Le Figaro (Stéphane Reynaud) — "the wines are remarkable" after twenty years of regenerative viticulture, worthy of "super-Rhône," even "super-Toscan," standing (trans. from French).
Wine Business (Pam Strayer) — Nicole Sierra-Rolet helped found International Grenache Day, sharing the table with revered critics Michel Bettane and Steven Spurrier.
Le Vaucluse Agricole (Manon Lallemand) — "visionary for millennia": a viticulture innovative, virtuous and ever more visionary in facing tomorrow (trans. from French).
Gault & Millau (Guillaume Rebière) — cited among quality-led estates proving Provence rosé can age, offering vertical tastings of its gastronomy rosé to show "rosé is a true wine" (trans. from French).
Ventoux Magazine (Jean-Louis Uhl) — renowned wines "celebrated the world over": La Verrière, sheltered by a paradisiacal setting on the lands of a forgotten medieval monastery (trans. from French).
Forbes (Lana Bortolot) — wines never meant to be "porch pounders": the rosé goes "off the beaten path" of southern Provence; reds named for medieval lovers Abélard & Héloïse.
Vinogusto (Pascal Jassogne) — the first wine estate in France to earn the Butterfly Mark for sustainable luxury, "the benchmark of French wine luxury" (trans. from French).
Decanter: Down To Earth (Rupert Joy) — Aliot 2015, 96 points: wonderfully rich and honeyed with terrific length; an estate that "wrote the songbook on regenerative viticulture."
Vinogusto (Pascal Jassogne) — "super-ultra-premium winemaking craftsmanship" in the southern Rhône: cuvées Abélard, Héloïse, Astralabe and Scipio, from an estate that broke the AOP mould (trans. from French).
El Conocedor — "sustainable viticulture before the hashtag existed": wines of the highest quality carrying "an exceptional stamp of minerality" (trans. from Spanish).
The New York Times (Patricia Cohen) — named "one of the region’s leaders" in regenerative, organic climate adaptation, choosing to "create a balanced functioning of the ecology through biodiversity."
En Magnum (Louis-Victor Charvet) — Abélard 2014, 95/100, top wine of the panel: joining "the elite of the best Rhône wines," hailed "an unrivalled ambassador for the appellation" (trans. from French).
Town & Country: The Weekly Covet — Héloïse 2012, the editors’ No. 1 Mother’s Day pick: a "gorgeous ruby-hued" Grenache-Syrah blend, an "intensely perfumed wine."
Stuart George (Bleu-Sky Thinking) — the independent consultant calls it a "splendid wine portfolio," singling out the Astralabe as "excellent" and well worth ageing.
Wine Enthusiast (Kelly Magyarics) — the "already perfumed" Aliot 2018: an example of blending mastery, every percentage calibrated for long ageing.
Positive Luxury (Meet the Leader) — "multi-award-winning fine wines" made without chemicals, hailed as "a hub for thought leadership" guiding fine wine toward a sustainable future.
Les Échos Week-End (Carla-Elle Rogosky) — selected among identity-driven rosés: Le Rosé 2022, "a serious wine" from meticulously tended high-altitude vines (trans. from French).
New York Social Diary (Lee Fryd) — "150 top recognitions around the world": a "magical winery" whose wines grew "from idea to project to seedlings to grapes to world famous wine."
Food & Wine (Emily Saladino) — named among age-worthy rosé producers: "devoted to quality rosé," with a pale-pink organic rosé that rewards 3–10 years’ ageing.
SevenFifty Daily (Jacopo Mazzeo) — cited for its winemaking craft: co-fermenting Roussanne to give the Héloïse "a certain fleshiness and pleasant aromatics."
La Provence (Supplément "À Table") — a "magnificent property" in the rosé selection: Le Rosé, with fleshy white-fruit aromatics and a fluid, food-friendly palate (trans. from French).
Le Vigneron des Côtes du Rhône — "the first wine estate in France," and the only one in the world, to earn the Butterfly Mark, doubling its score with measurable environmental practices (trans. from French).
Le Monde — selected for its national rosé picks: an estate whose reputation "no longer needs proving," its Le Rosé "fleshy and fresh at once" (trans. from French).
Décision Boissons — the first estate in France to earn The Butterfly Mark: a family winery above Gigondas scoring across all three ESG domains (trans. from French).
Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung (Heidi Siefert) — the trail’s idyllic lunch stop where "everyday life is completely forgotten": the Rolets’ dream of country life, blooming monastery gardens and all (trans. from German).
Wine Enthusiast (Jillian Dara) — named among the coolest places to study wine worldwide: the immersive Extreme Wine course, with a 100% WSET pass rate since 2008.
Le Figaro Vin (Candice Fillaudeau) — "the most sustainable wine estate in the world": the Rolets "recognised and admired" as pioneers of responsible viticulture (trans. from French).
Robb Report (DeSimone & Jenssen) — one of nine outstanding rosés: a "beautiful property" at the foot of Mont Ventoux, its 2022 Rosé rounded with a refreshing burst of acidity.
live2makan (Partage, Las Vegas) — the Aliot 2016, "a match made in heaven with crustaceans" on Partage’s Las Vegas tasting menu: full-bodied with great finesse.
The Arbuturian (Toby White) — a Chêne Bleu name "among the capital’s dining glitterati": its Aliot poured at Wiltons with the risotto King Charles declared his favourite.
Sommeliers International — Héloïse 2014, a wine that "rivals the local AOCs," with coffee-and-mocha oak over black fruit and a 10–15 year ageing potential (trans. from French).
En Magnum (Louis-Victor Charvet) — Héloïse 2014, 92/100 in the Bettane+Desseauve selection: a fine wine of subtlety and length, from "one of the most spectacular vineyards in the country" (trans. from French).
Wine Spectator (Kristen Bieler) — full ripeness with the acidity and balance "producers elsewhere in the Southern Rhône really struggle to achieve."
The Buyer (Richard Siddle) — Chêne Bleu among the international names at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris: Nicole Sierra-Rolet on a fair giving small wineries "a place in the sun."
Brandia — a branding case study in elegant design: Chêne Bleu’s theatrical 3D pop-up box telling the Abélard & Héloïse love story, with a hidden drawer for love letters (trans. from Spanish).
StarChefs (Sam Gamble, Atlas) — chosen by the Atlas sommelier as a featured pairing: Le Rosé 2021, matched with a beet bavarois, goat cheese and pear vinaigrette.
Metro Time (Lien Delabie) — listed among recommended estates in a Belgian hiking feature on the Dentelles de Montmirail, a region celebrated for its "praised wines" (trans. from Dutch).
Marius — a historic priory at the foot of Mont Ventoux offering eco-luxury stays, picked for its one-of-a-kind blindfolded tasting paired with medieval-inspired dishes (trans. from French).
My Bettane+Desseauve — chosen among seven estates whose mature, off-market wines were poured at top Paris bistros for Vinapogée à table, beside Marcel Deiss, Suduiraut and Paul Jaboulet Aîné (trans. from French).
Showcase — two Chêne Bleu cuvées picked for festive chocolate pairings: one "light as a feather," the Abélard 2014 matched to a chocolate-mousse and raspberry yule log (trans. from French).
De Telegraaf — the country house where you can lunch and stay overnight: Xavier Rolet, "one of the world’s most influential people," transformed the derelict 9th-century La Verrière into the acclaimed Chêne Bleu winery, now selling 60,000 bottles a year (trans. from Dutch).
Cuisine et Vins de France — Héloïse 2014, "a magnificent bottle, generous and beautifully made," where Grenache meets Roussanne for finesse, elegance and bite; irresistible now with lamb or feathered game (trans. from French).
Rock Bridge Wine and Spirits — among "the most exciting and rarest French wines" the retailer has sourced: two highly-allocated, beautifully ageing reds from "stunning producer Chêne Bleu," the Abélard and Héloïse 2014, personal favourites.
Écho du Mardi — listed among the Ventoux estates in the "Fascinant Week-end" wine-tourism programme, offering "a unique sensory experience" with its blind tastings at Crestet (trans. from French).
The Buyer — no mention of Chêne Bleu by name: a feature on Ventoux AOC as the "rising star of the Southern Rhône," whose high-altitude wines "punch above their weight," framing the estate’s context.
Jots & Jaunts — after a winding climb to "a beautiful mountain property" at 1,500 feet, the restored priory’s wines strike a visitor as "complex and quite different," singled out from everything tasted, capped by a rosé picnic beside the vegetable garden.
Les Échos Week-End — Xavier and Nicole Rolet, "a couple of vintners enamoured of singularity," draw from Roussanne "a wine of plenitude": the Aliot 2016, luxurious with almond, brioche, fresh butter and apricot over a finely worked texture (trans. from French).
Santé Magazine — three cuvées chosen for "The Dozen": the Aliot 2016 "very complex and mellow… delicious," the Héloïse 2012 a "mouth-filling wine," the Abélard 2012 "a rollercoaster journey of flavors… well worth the ride."
Les Échos — at 500 metres, "where growing the vine becomes a daily prayer," the Rolets coax from demanding Roussanne the Aliot 2016: a wine of plenitude, luxurious with almond, brioche and apricot (trans. from French).
L’Honoré Magazine — the prestige cuvées Abélard and Héloïse, released only after 8–9 years’ ageing, scored "the best marks in the Southern Rhône Valley" across vintages: wines the press nicknamed "Super-Rhône," with real singularity and identity (trans. from French).
Liquor.com — cited among producers innovating against climate change: the team "plays around with the specific blend," fermenting cooler to keep extraction down and adjusting cuvées like Le Rosé to preserve freshness, with Nicole Rolet quoted on the craft.
La RVF — among the dozen néo-vignerons spotlighted via Vin-Malin: the Aliot 2017, an IGP Vaucluse white rated 91/100 in good company with confirmed names of the Rhône (trans. from French).
Forbes France — Le Rosé 2021, "a rich, complex high-gastronomy rosé with a long finish," from untreated, Bee Friendly and HVE-certified vines: shimmering litchi-pink, intense citrus-and-red-fruit nose, fresh, well-balanced palate (trans. from French).
The SOMM Journal — hailed as "perhaps the most shining pillar of success" in Ventoux for cellaring vintages and releasing them ready to drink: the Abélard 2013 "stole the show" against short rib, the 2007 revealing the region’s age-worthy structure.
Winerist — named among the best wineries to visit in Provence: "a truly special winery experience" where the Rolets produce "‘couture’ wines of the highest standards," with daily tastings of six acclaimed wines at the organic estate and its hotel, La Verrière.
Tanin — described as "the splendid Chêne Bleu estate" in the Dentelles de Montmirail: its windowless medieval room perfect for tastings "in absolute darkness" with infrared goggles, where, Nicole Rolet says, "blind, you can have real revelations" (trans. from French).
Sommeliers International — Le Rosé Bio 2021 (N°176), rated 90/100 by Paolo Basso; a separate entry from the earlier Héloïse 2014 review.
La RVF — the highest-rated red in a blind tasting of 65 IGP du Vaucluse gems: Héloïse 2013 at 91/100, a delicate, textured, velvety wine of perfect evolution (trans. from French).
Infrarouge — a green-hotel pick for epicureans: "a singular place, entirely out of time," where you taste "haute couture" wines medalled over 70 times, and just seven guest rooms make you feel part of the family (trans. from French).
Les Échos Week-End — the splendidly isolated 30-hectare Mont Ventoux estate convinced bees boost vineyard resilience: the "outdoor eco-laboratory" of its Sustaina-Bee-Lity project, its Le Rosé 2021 chosen among the Bee Friendly selection for "flesh, crunch and a long finish" (trans. from French).
Les Échos Week-End — "splendidly isolated" within the Mont Ventoux biosphere: Chêne Bleu runs the unprecedented Sustaina-Bee-Lity research project with international scientists, its Le Rosé 2021 named to the Bee Friendly selection for "flesh, crunch and a long finish" (trans. from French).
Tout le Vin — picked among 10 standout wine-tourism spots: the "Into the Dark" tasting "out of time," in total darkness and a medieval atmosphere with optional medieval-inspired dishes, hailed "a disorienting experience!" (trans. from French).
Paris Match — "a domaine stunning in its beauty" at 550m, its medieval priory leaving you speechless: an eco-responsible luxury stay producing "haute couture" organic wines, some named for lovers Héloïse and Abélard, "exceptional wines that leave an unforgettable taste" (trans. from French).
La Provence — Nicole Rolet, "owner of the Chêne Bleu wine estate in Crestet," presented a free Yale Alley Cats concert in Vaison; the winery named only to identify her, with no comment on the estate or wines (trans. from French).
Luxe Magazine — Le Rosé 2021, "a rich, complex high-gastronomy rosé with a long finish," from untreated, Bee Friendly and HVE-certified vines: shimmering litchi-pink, intense citrus-and-red-fruit nose, fresh, well-balanced palate (trans. from French).
Luxe Magazine — Le Rosé 2021, "a rich, complex high-gastronomy rosé with a long finish," from untreated, Bee Friendly and HVE-certified vines: shimmering litchi-pink, intense citrus-and-red-fruit nose, fresh, well-balanced palate (trans. from French).
The Beverage Journal — cited as proof of high-altitude advantage: at 550 metres the vineyards "were untouched by the frosts" that hit lower estates, owner Nicole Rolet explaining how the long cold winter delayed budbreak while frost sank to the valleys below.
The Drinks Business — Abélard 2012, a Gold at the Global Wine Masters and one of 16 top Grenaches picked: "an outstanding Grenache-Syrah blend from the brilliant biodynamic estate that is Chêne Bleu," concentrated, complex, "a fantastic example of more mature Grenache."
The Buyer (Geoffrey Dean) — named among the critic’s top wines of 2021: the Pont des Arts Rouge Vieilles Vignes 2015, "a masterly cuvée… for its elegance, refined tannins and fresh acidity," made with Château Margaux’s Thibault Pontallier, "an absolute delight to drink now."
The Buyer (Geoffrey Dean) — the Pont des Arts Vieilles Vignes 2015, just 1,200 bottles from steep, rocky 500m slopes, chosen among his top wines of the year: elegant, with refined tannins, fresh acidity and clear cellaring potential.
Sarah Scoop — named among the best gifts for wine lovers: the limited-edition 3-D Le Box holding the "award-winning, critically acclaimed" flagship reds Abélard and Héloïse, each "the perfect blend of rich fruit and fresh minerality," with a secret drawer for a love letter.
The Ultimate 2021 Holiday Gift Guide — featured for the Mont Ventoux winery that won acclaim fast, its flagship reds Abélard and Héloïse blending southern-French fruit with Mont Ventoux altitude’s freshness and minerality in the limited-edition Le Box.
JustLuxe — chosen for the winter wine guide: the Mont Ventoux winery "leading the way for sustainability," whose Grenache-based Abélard is "a complex, brooding blend from older vines," full-bodied and smooth with "fresh velvety tannins" and a long, aromatic finish.
Forbes — named among a wine writer’s top ten wines of 2021: the Aliot 2016, "a marvelous, complex white, both aromatic and powerful," with rich tropical aromas, satiny texture and a juicy finish, its high-altitude site "entirely northern Rhône in everything but name."
Cottages & Gardens — picked among 20 holiday gift wines from "the world’s top wine estates": "a fascinating wine estate… in the Southern Rhône," whose Héloïse 2013 is "fragrant and elegant," with violets, blackberries and truffles on a long finish.
Bonhams Magazine — Chêne Bleu’s top wines billed as "the world’s first Super Rhônes" per the Wall Street Journal: Nicole Rolet’s "exquisite tasting kit" of miniature bottles, notes and quizzes held up as the standout example of the new virtual-tasting art form.
Bloomberg — chosen for critic Elin McCoy’s annual 50 Best Wines Under $50: drawn from 2,705 wines tasted across the year, the Chêne Bleu Le Rosé named among the top value buys.
Forbes — the Aliot 2016 chosen as the Southern France white among the year’s top ten wines: a high-altitude blend of Roussanne, white Grenache and Marsanne, "marvelous, complex… both aromatic and powerful."
VS News — the southern-Rhône estate of Nicole and Xavier Rolet, on the foothills of the Ventoux, signed an exclusive distribution deal for mainland China and Hong Kong with importer ASC Fine Wines (trans. from French).
Winerist — leading a Ventoux winery pick list: wines "rooted in 500 years of local history yet integrate the most forward-thinking qualitative approaches," the Abélard 2012 "full-bodied and smooth, fresh with velvety tannins," a long aromatic finish.
Rosemary George MW — after a vertical at a London tasting, the Master of Wine finds the wines beautifully made: the Astralabe 2015 "a lovely glass… elegantly so," older Aliot vintages that "aged beautifully," the winemaking "significantly fine-tuned… with much more subtlety and depth."
Perfectly Provence (Carolyne Kauser-Abbott) — "not your typical wine course": a five-day immersion where "fabulous wines await," the gourmet meals "are exquisite," and tasting 100+ wines feels "like a top-secret assignment with fellow wine lovers."
Forbes — chosen for a roundup of fuller-bodied autumn whites: the Aliot 2015, a Burgundian-styled Roussanne, white Grenache and Marsanne blend "rich, round and deep with baked yellow apples," structured enough for grilled sausages, simply "glorious."
Elite Traveler — named among eight global leaders in sustainable fine wine: the once-abandoned Mont Ventoux estate Xavier Rolet "spent 15 years restoring," now farmed organically and biodynamically, a bamboo forest filtering wastewater, and a pioneering "Sustaina-BEE-lity" bee-resilience project.
SevenFifty Daily — a flagship of Ventoux’s cool-climate, biodiverse promise: where the Rolets found 1,400 butterfly species and "a Jurassic park of microorganisms in the soils that have been killed off elsewhere," farmed biodynamically to "transmit a sense of place via microorganisms and minerals."
Beverage Media — Chêne Bleu’s "Le Box," pairing the Aliot 2016, Abélard Ventoux 2013 and Héloïse 2013, was selected for the November 2021 Holiday Gift Guide, a curated showcase of standout value-added packs for the season.
amNY — Abélard, a "complex, brooding," full-bodied blend from older vines, "smooth with fresh velvety tannins," notes of ripe red fruit, spice and plum through a long finish, featured among a holiday gift guide’s picks (SRP $90).
SevenFifty Daily — a flagship of Ventoux’s cool-climate, biodiverse promise: where the Rolets uncovered 1,400 butterfly species and "a Jurassic park of microorganisms in the soils that have been killed off elsewhere," farmed biodynamically to "transmit a sense of place via microorganisms and minerals."
Tony Bowles — Abélard, the "complex, brooding," Grenache-based blend from older vines, picked for a fall lifestyle guide: the winery noted to have "achieved acclaim in a very short time frame" while "leading the way for sustainability in the wine industry."
Decanter — among 12 alternatives to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Abélard Ventoux 2012 earns 90 points: "a generous, punchy wine" with "black cherries, blackberries and cinnamon spiced plums," "dark chocolate and fleshy black fruit… with dried rose petals," bottle age lending "tertiary complexity."
The Telegraph — a guide to the "new Rhône" names Ventoux "the most dynamic appellation in the southern Rhône": warmer, with riper grapes and "an influx of winemaking talent," with Chêne Bleu, founded by ex-LSE chief Xavier Rolet, among its standard-bearers.
Wine Enthusiast — featured for its restoration ethos in a piece on reviving vineyard sheep for "true terroir": Nicole Rolet describing how a sponsored shepherd’s flock is "restoring the natural symbiotic balance," part of "the circular economy that was broken by industrial farming."
Town & Country — among 25 gifts for babysitters and nannies: the Héloïse, "an elegant blend using these special mountain grapes" from a winery "whose vineyards date back to the 9th century," since "a bottle of great wine never goes to waste."
Liquor.com — spotlighted for its hands-on climate craft: the team "plays around with the blend," fermenting cooler "to keep the extraction levels down" and tailoring each recipe, raising the vermentino in Le Rosé to 12% in a hot year from 5%.
The Sunday Times — in a roundup of the best summer wine deals, Will Lyons picks the Le Rosé 2020: the Rolet estate on the Dentelles de Montmirail "produces outstanding rosés," this one combining "robust berry flavour with richness of texture."
The Drinks Business — among "the 10 finest rosés of 2021" from the blind-tasted Global Rosé Masters, Patrick Schmitt name-checks Chêne Bleu of Ventoux as a producer "worth also looking up… for your luxury rosé needs," beside Château Brown and Domaine Tempier.
Club Oenologique — French critic Michel Bettane hailed the debut 2006 Abélard and Héloïse as "the birth of a new Grand Cru," and the Wall Street Journal has suggested Chêne Bleu could be home to "the world’s first Super-Rhône."
Travel+Leisure — on a VistaJet cycling-and-wine tour of France, La Verrière — "a wine estate and ninth-century priory," a "fully restored eco-resort" — is the home base, where guests sample "award-winning Chêne Bleu wines" and a taster of the signature Extreme Wine course.
Robb Report — among the 12 best new rosés of summer, the 2020 Le Rosé Vaucluse from a "perennial favorite" earns a lyric note: "exuberant florals… watermelon and fuzzy stone fruit," "pretty red berry fruit… punched up by puckery citrus zest and stony underpinnings."
Robb Report — Sara L. Schneider names the 2020 Le Rosé Vaucluse among the 12 best new summer rosés, from a "perennial favorite": "exuberant florals… watermelon and fuzzy stone fruit," "pretty red berry fruit… punched up by puckery citrus zest and stony underpinnings."
Patch — in a Father’s Day guide by Shaena Engle, the Abélard 2012 is picked for "thirsty dads": a "sweet and spicy red berry wine," a Grenache-and-Syrah blend "with a limited amount of bottles produced each year" ($104.99).
IDENTIFY — a National Rosé Day pick: the certified-organic-and-vegan Le Rosé, a Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Rolle blend that "opens with a complex, perfumed bouquet… ripe red berry, orange zest, succulent herb," rich yet elegant with "long, citrus notes."
Healthy Family News — in a Father’s Day guide, the Abélard appears among picks for "thirsty dads": a "spicy pink berry wine," a Grenache-and-Syrah blend "with a restricted quantity of bottles produced annually" ($104.99).
Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News — a long read by Jo Gilbert on Ventoux’s rise names Chêne Bleu among "the greatest engines of quality growth," listed with Château Pesquié and Château Unang as producers showcasing the appellation’s terroir-driven ambitions.
Cottages & Gardens — in a rosé roundup by Sheri de Borchgrave, the "Le Rosé" is a season favorite: a pale-pink, Grenache Noir–dominant blend "rich with intense aromas of raspberry, redcurrant, and lime" from a "boutique" biodynamic Mont Ventoux winery.
Better Homes & Gardens — in a BBQ-and-wine pairing guide by Kristy Alpert, the Abélard is recommended for brisket: a "big and heavy red" suited to the cut’s bold flavors and high fat, where peppery, GSM-style reds shine.
VinePair — in the 25 Best Rosés of 2021, blind-panel-chosen on flavor, value and availability, the Le Rosé 2019 lands at No. 17 (92 points), praised for "rare savory notes" of "cheese, olives, and salty prosciutto," its "millennial pink color" and "tangy, lemony palate."
The Times — a guide to the world’s most luxurious villas ranks the estate No. 6: "Domaine des Coteaux," an "elegant hilltop mansion in the Luberon" in "the award-winning Chêne Bleu biodynamic vineyard," with vaulted dining room, medieval cloisters and five-day wine courses.
Opening a Bottle — on why ambitious Grenache deserves bottle age, Kevin Day gives the Abélard 2012 4.5/5: "a rare reminder of what I love about Grenache," with "dark raspberry and tobacco… a wonderful thyme edge," tannins "melded nicely into the wine."
Tony Bowles (Medium) — a Memorial Day pick to kick off rosé season: the certified-organic-and-vegan Le Rosé, a "harmonious blend" of Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Rolle with a "complex, highly perfumed bouquet," recommended with grilled seafood and a summer salad.
Liquor.com — named "Best Value French" in the 15 Best Red Wines of 2021: the Abélard 2011, "an absolute marvel," a decade-aged, Grenache-led Rhône layered with "wild red berry, blackberry jam, French vanilla and garrigue," its silky tannins carrying to a "grippy, earthy" finish.
The Boutique Vibe — celebrated as a green getaway: La Verrière, where guests savour the chef’s seasonal wine pairings and learn of its "Sustaina-Bee-lity" initiative showing "how important bees are to growing sustainable grapes," under the motto "not mine, not yours, but ours."
Sip Tripper — pairing wines with Oscar-nominated films, the 2015 Aliot is matched to The Father: "a full-bodied white with a bite even Anthony Hopkins would enjoy," a Roussanne, white Grenache and Marsanne blend aged in French oak, a characterful "shoulder season white."
SevenFifty Daily — on which rosés survive a maturing, oversaturated market, Chêne Bleu is named among established brands that "have continued to hold their position," Nicole Rolet betting that "cream rises to the top, and wines made with no shortcuts… will outlive fads."
Tony Bowles (Medium) — a Mother’s Day pick: the 2019 "Le Rosé" in Acker’s curated "Dozen Rosé" bundle of favourite French rosé producers, "refreshingly crisp… bursting with flavor," beside Domaines Ott, Domaine de Triennes and a Lambert Crémant de Loire.
Living (Nicole Kliest) — in an 11-step guide to responsible wine buying, cited under "Look for Wildlife Preservation": its SustainaBEElity initiative "harnesses the power of bees to improve fine-wine grapes while nurturing the bee population," beside Biltmore, Château Magnol and Nyetimber.
The Luxury Report — profiled for its personalised pop-up Mother’s Day gift box: "pioneering family winemakers" whose flagship Abélard and Héloïse, made after the Rolets’ 20-year restoration of La Verrière, are "often referred to by the press as the world’s first ‘Super-Rhônes.’"
Newsweek — among the best rosés you can buy online, the Le Rosé 2019 is "the most romantic" — "both elegant and playful," a Syrah-and-Grenache blend with "a floral, perfumed aroma… raspberry, red currant and light citrus touches of grapefruit and lime."
Liquor.com — profiled for "going far beyond organic": the 75-acre estate in a UNESCO biosphere "rich with 1,200 species of flora, 1,400 species of butterflies and more than 120 species of nesting birds," farmed organically and biodynamically by the moon’s phases.
Grape Minds — launching Women’s History Month, hosts Gina and Julie celebrate Nicole Rolet as a personal favourite: while much of the wine world is "regrettably forgettable," Chêne Bleu’s wines "are truly unforgettable," a producer who "captured our palates with her rosé."
Food & Wine — among the world’s most extreme wine tastings, the "WSET Boot Camp": a La Verrière immersion where guests become WSET Level 2 certified "in less than one week," tasting "more than 100 benchmark wines" over six days.
Famadillo — a Mother’s Day pick: the Abélard 2012, "a gorgeous bottle with a gorgeous taste," "bold, strong, and chocolatey," a hand-crafted wine "definitely a step above your average," fitting to celebrate a special day.
Drinkhacker — in Top 10 Wines for Summer 2021, the 2012 Abélard lands at No. 3: a Grenache-and-Syrah Rhône whose bottle age "has taken the edge off," letting "blackberry, tea leaf, and vanilla… meld with the currant-heavy core," dry, toasty and "fully approachable."
Drinkhacker — both cuvées earn high marks: the 2012 Abélard rated A (9.5/10), "well-aged… rich currants, brambly blackberry, and tea leaf… a slick of vanilla," "balanced and well-rounded," the 2015 Aliot a B+ for "depth," "white flowers, marzipan, and a touch of white peach."
Nicole Kliest (spring pairings) — among 22 spring food-and-wine pairings, Nicole Rolet contributes the 2015 Aliot: "a rich, complex white" to pair with "goat-cheese-stuffed red peppers on arugula," the biodynamic winery staying "very tuned into the rhythms of nature and the seasons."
Club Oenologique — profiled among ambitious newcomers chasing "icon" status: the mountain estate near Avignon built by ex-LSE CEO Xavier Rolet and Nicole, who "tapped consultants Claude and Lydia Bourguignon and winemaking guru Zelma Long"; the Héloïse 2012 scores 93, the Abélard 2012 90.
Vitis (BC Wine Culture) — on Ventoux’s rise from "picnic wines" to serious quality, cast as the region’s standard-bearer: a ninth-century estate in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve "famous for… lush, elegantly structured red blends considered ‘super Rhônes,’" renowned for its "velvety Héloïse and Abélard."
Alexandra Spirer (Medium) — in a "strong female founders" interview, Nicole Rolet recounts building the estate on "balance and harmony," believing "the unusual minerality, tautness, elegance and aging potential of Chêne Bleu’s first vintages redefined the potential of high-altitude sites."
Grape Minds — in a Valentine’s Day episode presenting a dozen rosés, hosts Gina and Julie include the Chêne Bleu Rosé as a "higher-end rosé": a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Rolle, among their pink-wine picks for the holiday.
City A.M. — a Valentine’s selection by Mayfair boutique Hedonism, "the best wine merchant in the world," features the Rosé 2019, a Grenache-led blend "rich and aromatic on the nose, with scents of red berry fruits, tangerine zest and wild flowers."
CitiScapes — a Valentine’s wine pick: the Aliot, "beautiful in color with its golden yellow reflections," rich and complex with "subtle notes of lime, star anise, toasted almonds, warm brioche and honey," its palate showing "surprising acidity with abundant elegance, finesse and minerality."
Jancis Robinson / Financial Times — in a wine-labelling piece, Nicole Sierra Rolet is cited as a realist: warning "the wine world is very vulnerable to a scandal about the bad stuff," "an accident waiting to happen," and urging the industry to "act fast."
France Today — in a guide to twelve villages worth visiting in the Vaucluse, the "elegant Chêne Bleu wine estate" near picturesque Crestet is recommended as a stop to "sample their award-winning wines."
BELLA Magazine — a winter wine pick: the Aliot 2015, a "refreshing French white… known for its light minerality, with hints of lime and vanilla," a Roussanne-led Mont Ventoux blend recommended for salmon, poultry and French cheeses.
Wine Spectator — in a "Wines to Give Your Most Special Someone" roundtable, wine director Parind Vora names Héloïse and Abélard as his hands-down pick: a pair to "give together as one of the world’s greatest love stories," well-reflected in the blends’ vineyard connections.
Sara Lehman (Holiday Wine Guide) — both flagship reds praised: the 2012 Abélard "an incredible wine… stunning," with "layered complexity and concentration," "a fantastic" example of Grenache; the 2012 Héloïse "elegant and refined," "gorgeous and delicious," in the spirit of a cooler-climate Côte Rôtie.
Tony Bowles (Medium) — a holiday pick: the Héloïse 2012, "an elegant and refined Syrah-based blend" with Grenache and a touch of white, made "in the spirit of the cooler Northern Rhône, like a Côte Rôtie, but with her own identity."
Florida Today — in a holiday wine-gift guide, the Theater Box earns a spot among twelve picks: "like a pop-up book made into a stage, with intricate drawings and cutouts," holding blends Abélard and Héloïse (Aliot optional), the wines "as complex as the packaging."
Wine & Spirits — a top gift pick for the wine lover: a limited-edition 3-D box holding the "critically acclaimed flagship reds Abélard and Héloïse," blending southern-French fruit with Mont Ventoux altitude’s freshness and minerality.
VinePair — in the 50 Best Wines of 2020, the Abélard 2012 lands at No. 17 (94 points): a Grenache-Syrah Rhône that "starts savory, with a whiff of black pepper," its "cooking herbs… and brambly berries" giving "an autumnal feel."
Vanity Fair — in-depth feature lauding Chêne Bleu’s exceptional wines and mountain terroir.
The Arbor (Rose Betty Williams) — in "Romancing the Rhône," celebrated for wines "acclaimed for the aromas and flavors of the southern Rhône, the finesse of the northern Rhône and the aging potential of the region’s finest AOCs."
Green Matters — among favourite vegan wines and Champagnes: "a high-end winery that primarily focuses on sustainability, the health of its employees, and the well-being of the environment," its vegan range (Héloïse, Abélard, Aliot, Le Rosé) cited with its bee-sanctuary SustainaBEElity initiative.
Departures — among the world’s most stunning private villa rentals, La Verrière earns the "Come for the Wine, Stay for the Winemaking" spot: the ninth-century priory of "a celebrated southern Rhône château," where guests "join resident vintners in tastings, blending sessions" and harvest work.
WineScene (Andy Bramson) — Le Rosé, a standout from the Rhône and Ventoux: its current release adding Cinsault, Mourvèdre and Rolle to the Grenache-Syrah, "in the category of a super Rhône" rosé, "very enjoyable now" yet age-worthy as "Tempier, Pradeaux or La Mordorée."
WineScene (Andy Bramson) — Le Rosé, a standout from the Rhône and Ventoux: its current release adding Cinsault, Mourvèdre and Rolle to the Grenache-Syrah, "in the category of a super Rhône" rosé, "very enjoyable now" yet age-worthy as "Tempier, Pradeaux or La Mordorée."
Forbes (Jillian Dara) — on whites for after Labor Day, the 2015 Aliot is "equally unique as it is a classic expression of the richness in the Rhône Valley": a Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Marsanne blend, "perfectly balanced," with "toasted almonds and light acidity."
Terre de Vins — in its Œnotourisme Trophies, won the Vaucluse Grand Prix d’Or (Gold 2020): its bistronomique restaurant, where chef Victor Guérin serves an inventive "Provençal-Japanese" cuisine, critic Chantal Sarrazin singling out the L’Astrolabe blanc 2019 as "fresh, fruity and accessible."
Terre de Vins — took the Vaucluse Grand Prix d’Or (Gold 2020) in its Œnotourisme Trophies: its vineyard restaurant marrying chef Victor Guérin’s "Provençal-Japanese" cuisine to the estate’s wines, critic Chantal Sarrazin calling the L’Astrolabe blanc 2019 "fresh, fruity and accessible."
Forbes (Katie Kelly Bell) — in "World-Class Wine Deals: Best French Wines for Quality and Value," the Héloïse 2012 is hailed among wines "crafted on the edge": critics calling Héloïse and Abélard "the world’s first Super Rhônes," "sexy wines layered with dark serious fruit."
The Market Herald — leading "7 Rosés… to the South of France," the 2019 Le Rosé is "fresh but disciplined": "a satisfyingly fleshy vintage, with texture and weight," a nose "floral and slightly briny," herbal notes "wrapped around watermelon," a "very long finish."
Cool Hunting — among "11 Wines for Summer Home-Sipping Scenarios," the Rosé is "a gastronomic rosé" that "can hold its own beside summer salads, spiced dishes and even lamb": an organic Syrah-Grenache that "sings with fresh, finessed fruit… from raspberry to citrus."
The Beverage Journal — Wilson Daniels Wholesale spotlighted the 2019 rosé in its summer portfolio: sales director Mike Tobin leading the lineup with "pale pink Chêne Bleu," first of the "crisp, perfectly balanced" rosés from "seasoned French and Italian producers."
Wine Behind the Label — called "a small and very fine domaine": biodynamic vines at 550 metres in the Dentelles de Montmirail, ringed by pine and oak; the hand-picked Grenache-Syrah-Cinsault rosé "a serious example": fresh, zesty, delicate red fruits over a restrained mineral edge.
Forbes (Nicole Trilivas) — featured among under-the-radar summer rosés: the "award-winning organic" winery in a "high-altitude UNESCO biosphere reserve in the southern Rhône," "challenging convention and respecting nature," its Grenache-based rosé winning awards for "clean complexity, lingering grapefruit-inspired finish and promising gastronomic potential."
Arts & Collections — La Verrière in the Mount Ventoux UNESCO biosphere: a "remote forgotten vineyard on a derelict medieval priory" revived by ex-LSE head Xavier Rolet and Nicole into a "modern winery," its flagship reds Abélard and Héloïse named for the medieval lovers.
Napa Valley Register (Allison Levine) — a National Rosé Day pick: the high-altitude estate, "a hidden gem," its pale pink, Grenache-led 2019 showing "rich red fruit and citrus aromas," a quarter oak-aged, "fresh and light… also structured and complex."
The Buyer (Geoffrey Dean) — the estate had "just won" France’s 2020 Terre de Vins wine-tourism trophy: the 2019 Rosé, a Grenache-led blend with Syrah, Rolle, Mourvèdre and Cinsault, "pale pink, bone dry," with "red fruit… elegance and freshness" and "satisfying length."
Men’s Journal (Geoffrey Dean) — the estate had "just won" France’s 2020 Terre de Vins wine-tourism trophy: the 2019 Rosé, a Grenache-led blend with Syrah, Rolle, Mourvèdre and Cinsault, "pale pink, bone dry," with "red fruit… elegance and freshness" and "satisfying length."
London on the Inside — in "Spring Wine Time," the Rosé is a favourite spring wine: the southern Rhône winery "a trailblazer for sustainable and biodynamic winemaking" that supports "local bee populations" and pours "very drinkable" wines, "including this rich, complex rosé."
Decanter — an International Bee Day feature spotlights the winery’s research into bees and sustainable viticulture: Nicole Rolet explaining its funded study into "the role of bees in sustainable viticulture," where "the best wines are made from soils teeming with life."
Packaging World (Anne Marie Mohan) — profiled the special-edition 3D gift box for the flagship Abélard and Héloïse: a woodcut-illustrated package "inspired by medieval traveling theaters" and "the much-loved pop-up books" of Nicole Rolet’s youth, eight years in the making, designed with Claire Middleton.
London on the Inside — in "Spring Wine Time," writer Ben features the Rosé: the southern Rhône winery "a trailblazer for sustainable and biodynamic winemaking" that supports "local bee populations" and pours "very drinkable" wines, "including this rich, complex rosé."
London on the Inside — in "Spring Wine Time," writer Ben features the Rosé: the southern Rhône winery "a trailblazer for sustainable and biodynamic winemaking" that supports "local bee populations" and pours "very drinkable" wines, "including this rich, complex rosé."
JancisRobinson.com — Nicole Sierra-Rolet’s first-person plea "Drink small to save little wineries" argues "small is beautiful, but endangered": the former analyst watching "the tsunami of red ink" as small Rhône producers faced sales down 60–80%, a third at risk without drastic measures.
The Three Drinkers — Le Rosé sits "on the borders of Provence and the Rhône Valley" so it "straddles both styles": a Syrah- and Grenache-dominant pink "pale and sophisticated with savoury red fruit… redcurrant and wild strawberry," "great with grilled meats."
Financial Times, How To Spend It — a "17 art-inspired buys" roundup of collaborations "from the wardrobe to the wine cellar," featuring Chêne Bleu’s Pont des Arts — its Mondrian-grid label — at £49, among pieces from Coach, Delvaux and Hublot.
DuVine — in "10 Small Producers to Support Right Now," the cycling-tour company loves this "family-owned estate" for its "sustainable, symbiotic environment… vineyards, olive groves, apiaries, and vegetable gardens," a Provence-tour stop whose Côtes du Ventoux rosé invites you to "envision the terroir."
Spear’s Magazine — a diary item noted that "former London Stock Exchange chief Xavier Rolet and his wife Nicole have established an award-winning winery in their native France, Chêne Bleu," now inviting crowdfunding investors into new apiaries and a "sustainaBEElity and BEE-o-diversity initiative."
Society Texas — a favourite Provence-tour stop: a "majestic estate and winery nestled in the foothills of Mont Ventoux," whose "critically acclaimed" Abélard and Héloïse, poured at a Farm to Fork luncheon "expertly paired to complement each course," made for an "absolutely delightful" afternoon.
Newsweek — among 11 women-made wines for International Women’s Day: winemaker Nicole Rolet "pushing the needle forward for sustainability" and founder of the Fine Minds 4 Wine think tank (2017), her Abélard layering "black cherry, cocoa and mocha" over a silky, velvety finish.
Le Dauphiné Libéré (Vaucluse Matin) — named one of six Vaucluse estates shortlisted for the 2020 Œnotourisme Trophies: a finalist in the "dining in the vineyard" category of the awards launched by Terre de Vins with Atout France to crown excellence in wine-tourism estates.
Terre de Vins — opened the six-part "Escapade Ventoux" series as "a corner of paradise": the family estate at 550m in the Dentelles de Montmirail above Crestet, 30 hectares of organic vines, its Héloïse and Grenache-led Abélard keeping "all their freshness."
Packaging News — spotlighted as a "pioneering winery" for its Valentine’s release: a pop-up box conceived by Nicole Rolet as a "Teatrino" mini-theatre telling the 12th-century tale of Abélard and Héloïse, with woodcut illustrations, a keepsake drawer and optional lighting, reflecting its "Medieval-meets-Modern" spirit.
#VinVisDeViens (Nicolas Bria) — reviewed as "a wine so full it makes you live a beautiful balancing act": the confidential Scipio 2015 (AOP Ventoux), a Syrah-Grenache-Mourvèdre by cellar master Jean-Louis Gallucci, just 2,000 first-year bottles, a silky palate where "the magic happens."
The Drinks Business — highlighted for using wine tourism to fund biodiversity research: the Southern Rhône estate surpassed its crowdfunding target (£28,000+ from 70 backers), partnering with Avignon University and soil microbiologists Claude and Lydia Bourguignon on a chemical-free "roadmap for vineyards."
Spear’s — name-checked in a CEO profile as his "well-regarded winery": the Southern Rhône estate that financier Xavier Rolet, former head of the London Stock Exchange and four-time Paris-Dakar Rally finisher, created with his wife Nicole alongside his finance career.
Spear’s — featured in the gossip column for inviting investors into its next chapter: the "award-winning winery" that ex-LSE chief Xavier Rolet and wife Nicole established in France, now offering crowdfunding backers a role in new apiaries under a "sustainaBEElity and BEE-odiversity initiative."
The Sunday Times — picked as one of the week’s best buys: the 2018 Le Rosé (IGP Vaucluse), a "scrumptious salmon-pink rosé" with crisp acidity, good structure and "intense, smoky, savoury lemon thyme fruit."
Naoko Mikami (Japanese travel feature) — a centrepiece of an "off-the-beaten-path southern France" feature: the "beautiful domaine" above Crestet at 550m, a 100% organic estate reborn from a derelict priory, its Grenache-based Abélard "full-bodied and powerful," with "velvety tannins."
The Real Review (Bob Campbell MW) — profiled as "super stylish wines from southern Rhône": blending New and Old World, dividing the vineyard into "micro-terroirs"; the Viognier "a classy wine," the Aliot "complex, powerful… textural," the Abélard 2011 "a truly impressive drink."
Luxury Briefing — a "Wine with Altitude" interview calls the varietals "outstanding": named for the blue oak in its high-altitude Rhône vineyard, where being "so high up" gives "one foot in each territory"; Nicole Rolet describes the muscular Abélard, Héloïse and "Planet Chêne Bleu."
Le Monde — chosen among just 62 wines from 280+ tasted across the Southern Rhône: the Abélard 2011, called the panel’s most surprising Ventoux: ripe, ready, "velvety and spiced," remarkably drinkable without heaviness, "a great wine… nothing to envy of its neighbouring appellations."
Decanter — profiled on the Extreme Wine course, "the Rolls Royce of wine courses": La Verrière (a restored medieval priory with infinity pool, helipad, private chef, in 135 hectares of Mont Ventoux forest) hosts Nicole Rolet’s intensive residential WSET wine school.
Decanter — profiled on the Extreme Wine course, "the Rolls Royce of wine courses": La Verrière (a restored medieval priory with infinity pool, helipad, private chef, in 135 hectares of Mont Ventoux forest) hosts Nicole Rolet’s intensive residential WSET wine school.
France Today — showcased as "a luxury boot camp for wine enthusiasts": the Extreme Wine Course at La Verrière, where the WSJ’s Will Lyons calls it "the most immersive offering I know" and the FT’s John Stimpfig "probably the best course of its kind."
SevenFifty Daily — showcased as "a luxury boot camp for wine enthusiasts": the Extreme Wine Course at La Verrière, where the WSJ’s Will Lyons calls it "the most immersive offering I know" and the FT’s John Stimpfig "probably the best course of its kind."
Meininger’s Wine Business International — a case study in how outsider estates earn iconic status: the Crestet winery the Rolets built from scratch (first vintage 2006), a "super-Rhône" for its rule-breaking Viognier in the red Syrah, its Abélard now fetching above $80.
Winerist — named among the best wineries to visit in Provence: "the outstanding Chêne Bleu Winery," where the Rolets "produce wines of the highest standards," offering free vineyard and cellar tours, a daily tasting of six acclaimed wines, garden-sourced organic lunches and luxury rooms.
Wine Intelligence — cited as host of the inaugural Fine Minds 4 Fine Wines conference: where Nicole Rolet convened the 2017 gathering, a forum whose 2018 Champagne follow-up (opened by Hugh Johnson) drew 60+ figures including Krug’s Maggie Henriquez, Miguel Torres and Steven Spurrier.
The A List (Alyssa Campanella) — a romantic "Weekend in Provence" diary: La Verrière villa, a medieval-style seven-bedroom estate, where guests dine on chef-prepared no-menu dinners, picnic with rosé and goat cheese, and tour "chemical-free vineyards": "the spot for minimalist luxury and romance."
Le Figaro — profiled ahead of her "œnological Davos": the Vaucluse estate near Mont Ventoux that Nicole Rolet owns with husband Xavier, whose Fine Minds 4 Fine Wines symposium gathered minds in oenology, economics and culture to "imagine the great wines of the future."
HuffPost Québec — a Crestet stop on a Provence "girls’ road trip": a "charming little vineyard" with a Mont Ventoux view, two reds, a white and a rosé from organic Rhône varieties, its vineyard tour with tastings and a "delicious Bento Box–style lunch: Chênobox."
Brides — one of six "whimsical spots for a winery wedding": La Verrière, a hilltop priory in Crestet the Rolets spent 13 years restoring, its seven-room manor hosting up to 18 for a wedding weekend, with ceremonies in lavender fields or the rooftop garden.
Le Monde — selected blind from 200+ bottles for its organic and biodynamic special: the Abélard 2011 (Vaucluse), praised as proof of the Ventoux terroir’s greatness, "an incredible feat," a wine for connoisseur and hedonist alike, well-balanced and built to age.
Vanity Fair on Travel — among the world’s most enticing vineyard stays: La Verrière, the Provençal ruin the Rolets restored near Avignon, now a private retreat making "Super Rhône" wines, with the Extreme Wine course, "a bootcamp education in the world’s best wines."
Le Monde — cited among the names driving the Ventoux’s revival: the former farm above Crestet "magnificently restored by Nicole and Xavier Rolet," producing "very beautiful terroir wines, raised like grands crus."
Go-Wine (Andrew Chalk) — proof of the southern Rhône’s potential: the biodynamic, gravity-flow estate scoring up to 95 from Jeb Dunnuck, tasted at Pappas Bros.: Héloïse 2009 (94/100), Abélard 2009 a "fleshy and softer" foil to top Châteauneuf (93/100), the 2017 Rosé 90/100.
Yesterday’s Island / Today’s Nantucket — an Advanced Sommelier’s pairing for a Nantucket sunset sail: the "Pont des Arts" Rosé 10th-Anniversary magnum, of "Super Rhône status," 95% old-vine Grenache, its Miquel Barceló bullfight label echoing the wine’s "feisty" character.
Opening a Bottle (Kevin Day) — a visit calling the estate "pretty close to Eden": a terroir "unlike any other in France," a winery choosing "originality instead of typicity"; his five-star favourite the Aliot 2013 ("like a prima ballerina"), the Viognier 2015 a "stunner."
The Buyer (Richard Siddle) — how the estate earned its "Super Rhône" billing: the Mont Ventoux property revived from "a few walls of an abandoned priory" into one of the Rhône’s most significant producers, making appellation-defying "thinking people’s wines" — Abélard, Héloïse and Aliot.
La RVI — the estate’s year-round "palette of activities": an ex-Alain Ducasse chef building "ethical" gastronomy of estate-grown produce for the Japanese-bento Chêno-Box, "Bleu" aperitifs, "Nuits d’Astralabe" stargazing dinners, and the Extreme Wine school, "the most intensive wine course in the world."
The Dallas Morning News — one of three food-friendly rosés for picnics: the Vaucluse IGP Rosé 2015 from Crestet "with records dating from 1026," a Grenache-led rosé with "generous strawberry and melon," Syrah spice and three months in oak.
New York Social Diary — poured at a black-tie philharmonic gala: "award winning wines donated by Nicole and Xavier Rolet’s Chêne Bleu Vineyard" accompanied the Solstice dinner for 150 at the Wallace Collection, a Sotheby’s auction raising the orchestra’s 20th Anniversary Fund.
The London Magazine — a London tastemaker’s estate: its range has won 60+ medals (golds at London, Hong Kong, Brussels and Grenaches du Monde), and founder Nicole Rolet runs its Extreme Wine school and Fine Minds 4 Fine Wines think tank.
Entrée — a "must" for your shopping list: rising stars of the Rhône and the "world’s first Super Rhônes," the flagship Héloïse and Abélard "wines of stunning grace and freshness," plus a "show-stopping" Aliot, a Viognier and a rosé.
FT Weekend Magazine (Jancis Robinson) — "no enterprise could be more determinedly focused on quality than Chêne Bleu," the high-altitude La Verrière estate Nicole Rolet spent 12 years restructuring in a Ventoux appellation she predicts "could be truly great."
Financial Times / JancisRobinson.com — credited by Jancis Robinson MW as a Grenache trailblazer: the 2010 Grenache Symposium that "arguably lit the current flame" of the grape’s revival was "the brainchild" of Nicole Sierra-Rolet (with Walter McKinlay of Mourchon).
Michael Apstein — 94 points and "a property to watch": the Héloïse 2009, a Grenache-Syrah-Viognier blend with "power coupled with exquisite finesse" that "dances on the palate."
Blouin Artinfo — on rosé’s rise: Nicole Sierra-Rolet contrasts old "cheap and cheery" rosés with her bright, perfumed Rhône number, organically fined and built to beat many lighter reds and complex whites for gourmet alfresco dining.
Clementine Communication — welcomed back at the Clementine Showcase: praised as "expert crafters of beautifully-textured wines" and "valiant educators of the fermented grape," viticulturist Bénédicte Gallucci ("Mrs Fix-It") tending each vine "as an individual" with biodynamic methods and estate bee propolis.
goantolondon — a London food blog’s guided tasting: the gravity-flow, biodynamic estate at 550m in the Mont Ventoux biosphere, sampling the Grenache-based Abélard ("rich and structured"), Syrah-based Héloïse ("smooth and velvety") and two whites, with praise for the Abélard-and-Héloïse backstory.
RichardMcComb.com — poured at a St John’s College, Cambridge dinner and called "as good a bottle of Rhône as I have had in a while": the Astralabe 2011, a powerful yet fresh Grenache-Syrah whose freshness he credits to the estate’s Dentelles de Montmirail altitude.
travel roundup, source unnamed — picked as the way to "learn in Provence" on a French wine vacation: the five-day Extreme Wine course at La Verrière, offering amateurs pro-level tasting training using some of the world’s greatest bottles (from $8,300).
Stylist Magazine — a one-line rosé shout-out on a lifestyle shopping page: a price-and-buy-link recommendation rather than a review.
The Wine Advocate (Jeb Dunnuck) — three high scores: the 2009 Abélard (85% Grenache) at 95, "big, ripe, layered and hedonistic… silky"; the 2009 Héloïse at 94, "gorgeous and seamless" with a Côte Rôtie bouquet; the 2011 Aliot Blanc at 93, "a sensational white."
WineScene (Andy Abramson) — named "the U.S. Ambassador for the Grenache Association": Nicole Sierra-Rolet, whose "superb world class" Rhône blends include perhaps "one of the best non-Tavel/Provence/Bandol Rosé’s anywhere," her Extreme Wine course and Grenache Symposium "setting the stage for much that followed."
DuVine Cycling — one of "9 of the most beautiful vineyards in France": one of the highest vineyards in the South, perched in the Dentelles de Montmirail on clay-limestone soil, growing Rhône varietals for its "couture" blends, with stays in La Verrière’s seven guestrooms.
Veritage Miami (Lyn Farmer) — singled out by wine educator Lyn Farmer as a personal best: "a rosé from the South of France that I consider perhaps the best rosé I can recall tasting."
Provence Emotional Escapes — a high-end pick in a Provence rosé roundup: the organic, biodynamic rosé from high in the Ventoux, "perfumed, complex, with a fuller body and wonderful berry nose and good acidity": "I buy this one every year!" (€16).
Financial Times / JancisRobinson.com — listed among the team’s recommended food rosés: the Chêne Bleu 2014, IGP Pays du Vaucluse, named by Julia Harding MW alongside a curated set of the world’s most food-versatile pink wines.
Provence WineZine — counted among Provence’s new "ultra-premium" / "prestige" rosés: named beside Château Sainte Marguerite, Château Sainte Roséline and Château Léoube in the small top tier defined by best plots, old vines, low yields and exacting vinification.
The Wine Advocate (Jeb Dunnuck) — two 91-point rosé scores: the 2015 Rosé, "a fabulous effort" with finesse, elegance and texture, and the 2015 Pont des Arts Rosé Vieilles Vignes, layered and seamless — "both of these Rosés are flat out outstanding."
Swedish rosé tasting feature — top-rated among "the 12 best rosé wines": the 2015 Rosé (VdP du Vaucluse), onion-skin colour, a fresh nose of wild strawberry, blood grapefruit, herbs and crushed stone, a dense, tangy palate and good length (trans. from Swedish).
The Drinks Business — a wine-meets-art collaboration: "super-Rhône producer" Chêne Bleu teamed with Pont des Arts (Thibault Pontallier and Arthur de Villepin) on a Réserve Spéciale 2015 rosé marking its 10th vintage — 1,000 bottles and 480 magnums with Miquel Barceló’s bullfight artwork.
Världens Viner (Johan Franco Cereceda) — a Swedish critic’s surprised first taste: the rosé struck him as "so different in character," with fine, clear minerality, a fruitiness "far beyond most rosés I’ve tried," and an extremely elegant finish (trans. from Swedish).
Vinous (Josh Raynolds) — strong scores across the range: the 2010 Héloïse 93; the 2009/2010 Abélard, 2009 Héloïse and 2012 Aliot 92; the 2015 Rosé and 2014 Viognier 91/92 (the Viognier "confidently pour side-by-side with some big-name Condrieus"); the Astralabes 90/91.
Hospice du Rhône 2016 Opening Tasting — praised as "probably the most impressive wine I tasted from them": the 2011 Aliot (Roussanne, Grenache Blanc), oak-aged, with power and length that made it a true "wow" wine; about $75.
Wine-Searcher — recognized as one of Europe’s notable "wine schools among the vines": Chêne Bleu Extreme Wine (La Verrière, Provence), offering all-inclusive five-day courses at a medieval priory, led by Clive Barlow MW and Nick Dumergue toward WSET Level 2 and 3.
Drinks magazine feature — selected among recommended shiraz and syrah wines: the Héloïse 2010 (Crestet, Rhône), a premium "Super Rhône" adding grenache and a touch of viognier to syrah, from "renegade winemaker" Chêne Bleu; 14%, 75cl, £62.10.
HuffPost Provence (Kelly Mitchell) — featured in a tasting of the estate’s range: the 2014 Rosé, "divine" strawberry with citrus, an elegant, enticing nose and a long, smooth finish.
Points North (Mary Jane Grant) — a secluded, elegant destination winery: the flagship reds Abélard (a full-bodied grenache blend) and Héloïse (a softer, restrained syrah blend), named for the medieval lovers, alongside a Rosé — a complex grenache-syrah aged in oak for texture.
Terre de Vins — highlighted for its evolving complexity: the 2008 Rosé, a forest-like character with aromas of truffle and wild strawberry, plus a clementine citrus note (trans. from French).
The Times — profiled via its founder’s storied background: the Provence estate of London Stock Exchange chief Xavier Rolet, its two principal reds Abélard and Héloïse named for the doomed 12th-century lovers whose "love survived decades of monastic seclusion through passionate and erudite correspondence."
Colorado AvidGolfer — featured as a premier wine-travel destination: a 500-year-old, 350-acre estate at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail whose 75-acre vineyard has, since 2006, made organic, biodynamic reds (Abélard, Héloïse) and whites (Aliot) that have "garnered clusters of international awards."
Decanter — one of "five top rosé wines… in magnum" with 91 points: the Vaucluse IGP rosé 2015, pale pink, with "sun-ripened creamy rich ripe peach and apricot fruit," Provençal garrigue and dried herb notes, and fresh acidity.
The Buyer (Geoffrey Dean) — "a rosé that deserves serious attention": the Pont des Arts 2015 (95% old-vine Grenache), "more muscular" with a mineral finish, loads of texture and an exceptionally long finish from a low 18 hl/ha yield, made age-worthy by high-altitude acidity.
Tim Atkin MW — among "sixteen Ventoux wines to try" with 92 points: the ‘Abélard’ 2010 (15.0%, £49.95), "a wonderfully complex nose of leather, truffle, sous-bois, spicy oak, cigar ash and cedar," full-bodied with good structure — "Bravo!" — though the oak is prominent.
Cosmopolitan UK — recommended among Waitrose’s 50+ vegan wines for summer barbecues: the Rosé, described as full-bodied and "well worth a go."
International Wine Review — reviewed among 60+ rosés with 90 points: the Domaine de la Verrière 2014 (60% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 5% Cinsault), light pinkish orange, with light red berry and herbal scents and a balanced, energetic palate of good complexity — "Delicious."
The Buyer (Douglas Blyde) — cited by gastronomy consultant Douglas Blyde as a boundary-pushing favourite: the Pont des Arts rosé, singled out among larger-format wines "with bravely artistic labels" he loves introducing to clients to push their boundaries.
Chêne Bleu 10th-anniversary feature — marked by an exceptional anniversary re-release: the Abélard and Héloïse 2006, the estate’s very first vintage, exceptionally put back on sale to celebrate ten years of production (trans. from French).
Revue Vinicole Internationale — praised for a singular high-altitude terroir: on a southern latitude like Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas but at 550m elevation, bringing freshness, finesse and tannic elegance closer to the "feminine" northern Rhône — a style between North and South (trans. from French).
INDULGE (Lyn Farmer) — the rosé pick among INDULGE’s holiday "Pour" gifts: "a classic South-of-France rosé that makes most others taste like wimpy white wine," singled out as creating a new category, "Super-Rhône"; $35 at Wolfe’s Wine Shoppe, Coral Gables.
Groupe ICV — crowned "best rosé in the world" at an international UK tasting: as its wines reached Michelin-starred tables and medals multiplied from France to the USA and China, the rosé was named the world’s best (trans. from French).
Le Figaro Weekend (Béatrice Brasseur) — front-page as host of "the extreme experience": a medieval priory-and-villa flanked by the Dentelles de Montmirail and Mont Ventoux — the XXL backdrop to a demanding five-day Extreme Wine Experience reflecting the excellence of its service and instructors.
Sopexa Wine Trade Research — a market-research report on country-of-origin listings, rosé and Grenache growth and packaging formats; it does not mention Chêne Bleu.
THE ONE — award-winning even on the label: its distinctive blue-oak label, echoing Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights, won a 2010 Harper’s Design Award for Best Wine Label and runner-up for Best Drinks Design at the 2010 Drinks Business Awards (trans. from Chinese).
The Wall Street Journal (Will Lyons) — hailed by Will Lyons: a long-term project run by serious people, showing "stunning grace and freshness" — possibly "the world’s first Super Rhône."
BonVivant / Bettane+Desseauve (Nicolas de Rouyn) — listed among Provence’s notable red-wine producers: named alongside Philippe Gimel in Nicolas de Rouyn’s roll-call of fine Provençal reds, arguing that Provence is a land of great reds (trans. from French).
Off Licence News (Martin Green) — decorated with a gold medal and 93 points: the Aliot 2010 white blend won gold at the International Wine Challenge and scored 93 with Wine Spectator.
Blackpool Gazette (Sam Wylie-Harris) — voted the world’s best rosé by a blind trade-and-press panel: the Rosé 2013 (£17.99, Waitrose), the top scorer where freshness was key, pale colour an asset and texture prized over weight — "beautiful and graceful… a leading lady."
Daily Mail (Olly Smith) — a feature on a vermouth-producer resurgence across France, Italy, Australia, Germany, the US and England; it makes no reference to the estate or its wines.
Revue du Vin de France — profiled in La RVF as the London Stock Exchange chief’s cherished Provence passion: a superb former 9th-century priory, a vast 150-hectare estate where Xavier Rolet has invested deep passion in biodynamic, nature-led southern-Rhône wines (trans. from French).
Decanter (Andrew Jefford) — praised by Andrew Jefford as exquisite and finely crafted: the Rolets turned a dilapidated, sheep-dung-filled estate into "something well-tended and exquisite," the wines "sumptuous and finely crafted," selling internationally "at prices most Ventoux producers can only dream about."
Shakira’s Wine Space (Shakira Chanrai) — a clear favourite rosé: the 2014 (Waitrose) offers the refreshing acidity you’d expect from a Provence rosé "but has just a bit… more. More character, more colour, more bite, more fruit," worth the price — "bloody brilliant."
The Daily Meal (Roger Morris) — selected in "12 Wines That Dance into Spring": the Ventoux Rosé 2013 ($30), a Syrah and Grenache blend with lots of skin contact for complexity of fruit and nice spicy edges.
The Wall Street Journal (Will Lyons) — in a WSJ top 10: the 2014 (€25/$30) from the Rolets’ Southern Rhône estate, which "produces consistently good rosé" — salmon-pink, floral, perfumed, with bright summer fruits and a light, dry, delicate finish.
Effilee — recognized for world-class terroir where three appellations meet: the vineyards sit where Côtes du Rhône, Gigondas and Ventoux converge, the high-altitude, isolated site and long tradition giving what Rolet calls genuine "world-class potential" (trans. from German).
JancisRobinson.com (Julia Harding MW) — rated 18/20: the Abélard 2009 (85% Grenache), lifted small-dark-berry aromas with a "slightly bloody, meaty" quality; savoury and dark, tannins super-fine "like a fine layer of coal," an extreme granite minerality and a salty finish.
The Daily Meal (Roger Morris) — selected in "12 Rosés to Drink": the Vaucluse Rosé 2014 ($30), a Rhône wine from a Provence setting — lively and lean, with tart strawberries, good minerality and crisp acidity; pair with poolside tapas.
SIP Magazine (Roger Morris) — among "7 Rosés to Enjoy Now": the Vaucluse Rosé 2014 ($30), chosen among seven southern-French rosés spanning regions and prices, picked for what makes the south of France the go-to source for spring and summer refreshment.
Edge magazine (Laura Clay) — among rosés to look out for: the Vaucluse (£17.99, Waitrose Cellar), chosen in a column arguing rosé can be a serious wine — "with finesse and complexity, and an ability to refresh and entice… to the last zingy drop."
Wine Times Hong Kong — named a perennial favourite and one of the city’s top rosés: "always one of our favourites" and "certainly one of the top Rosé wines available in the city," a Grenache-based rosé from the Rhône (from Sarment).
The Wine Advocate (Jeb Dunnuck) — rated 91 points: the 2014 Rosé (60% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 5% Cinsault), lively strawberry and red berry, flowers and a touch of spice over a seamless, silky palate — "one of the most elegant, seamless rosés tasted."
Canary Wharf magazine (Gabrielle Lane) — profiled as an award-winning high-altitude Provence estate praised for "the best of both worlds": the southern Rhône’s richness plus the northern Rhône’s finesse from altitude — now making three reds, two whites and a rosé.
London Evening Standard — noted for winning wide recognition under its winemaker-CEO: near his second decade as a winemaker, LSE chief Xavier Rolet has "won wide recognition" for Chêne Bleu, the columnist tipping readers to "order that Chêne Bleu 2015 vintage early."
Vinous (Josh Raynolds) — rated 91 points (drink 2016–2020): the 2014 Rosé, light, bright pink, high-pitched redcurrant and strawberry aromas with a "sexy" floral nuance; minerally and sharply focused, intense red berry and orange pith, fleshy and seamless on a penetrating, mineral finish.
GAYOT — ranked No. 1 on GAYOT’s "Top Rated Grenache" list with 16/20: the 2009 Abélard ($90), its highest-rated Grenache, leading a field of Spanish garnachas, Australian McLaren Vale and Barossa Grenaches, and California and Rhône bottlings.
Jim Lockard On Wine — praised as one of France’s most beautiful estates: the "award winning Chêne Bleu Rhône wines" struck him as "smooth, well-crafted, beautifully balanced and simply delicious"; though made outside the AOC, "the wines speak for themselves."
Decanter (Richard Hemming MW) — in "Is rosé a serious wine?", Nicole Rolet, quoted on premium rosé-making, says quality needs "a big investment in time, effort and the appropriate equipment," with direct pressing and temperature control for "gentle extraction of texture and aromatic complexity."
Livets Goda (Enquist) — 93 points: the Astralabe 2009, an inviting nose of dark fruit, spice, herbs, toasted oak, plum, cherry and blackberry; charming fruit sweetness with freshness throughout — silky, full, complex, "simply a really delicious and incredibly good wine" (trans. from Swedish).
Napa Valley Register (Allison Levine) — the work of a Grenache champion: at 1,800–2,000 feet with "one foot in the northern Rhône and one in the southern," its flagship reds Abélard "well bred but packs a punch," Héloïse showing "balance and elegance through restraint."
The Tasting Panel — 90 points: the 2009 Héloïse (60% Syrah, 36% Grenache, 4% Viognier, $100), smooth and juicy with lush texture; bright, dense and balanced, ripe plum and cassis on a long, rich finish.
The Wall Street Journal (Will Lyons) — "the most immersive offering I know": in a wine-learning guide, he highlights Extreme Wine at La Verrière — a five-day course of tastings, lectures, workshops and vineyard work capped by a WSET exam (from €5,100).
Decanter (Mary Dowey) — a renowned wine-education destination: in a Ventoux where wine tourism is underdeveloped but education flourishing, the estate is singled out as "renowned for its WSET-accredited Extreme Wine Experience."
Food & Wine (Ray Isle) — a five-day wine boot camp at a restored medieval priory whose winery "also produce[s]… the highly regarded Chêne Bleu wines," an immersive course that takes you in "as a wine-baffled neophyte" to "emerge as a (legitimate) wine expert."
GAYOT — on "Top 10 Seafood Wines" with 15/20: the 2011 Aliot, a Grenache blend named for Aliot de Montvin, the glassblower who bought the vineyard in 1427; high-altitude freshness, apricot and pineapple, recommended with grilled salmon.
Le Magazine du Vin (Bertrand Rougier) — 97/100: the Abélard 2009, with clove, violet and pepper, deep cherry jam, blackberry and tapenade — "a great wine… whose refinement and power will impress even the most seasoned tasters" (trans. from French).
Le Magazine du Vin — No. 23 in "100 Best Wines of France 2016" at 97/100: the Abélard 2009, chosen from ~7,000 wines (final rounds blind, 92+ minimum), among the elite beside Guigal’s La Mouline and La Landonne, Beaucastel and Dom Pérignon P2.
Justerini & Brooks tasting — one of the writer’s five favourites: the Astralabe 2011, "simple but effective," excellent value, with strawberry, raspberry and cherry aromas, balanced and well structured — lovely for barbecues, red meat, or an aperitif (trans. from French).
Bloomberg (Elin McCoy) — in "The 50 Best Wines Under $50": the 2014 Rosé ($34), one of the year’s best value wines, "bright pink and intensely perfumed… a classy, berry-inflected Grenache-based blend from the Rhône Valley."
Decanter (John Stimpfig) — chosen for his Christmas table: the Abélard 2007, poured for the red drinkers at a dozen-strong family lunch, in the company of a 2004 Durfort-Vivens and a 2004 Almaviva.
The Wine Advocate (Jeb Dunnuck) — 91 points: the 2013 Ventoux Rosé ($16), "clean, pure and classy, with fabulous purity," wild strawberry, white peach and crushed flowers over a medium-bodied, balanced, dry, refreshing palate — "an outstanding rosé."
Wine Spectator (James Molesworth) — hailed as "the most exciting new producer" in the Ventoux, 93 points: the Aliot 2010 (Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, $68), praised for "gorgeous chamomile and tarragon flavors, with bright citrus fruit accents," the reds "sleek, pure and loaded."
The Drinks Business (Patrick Schmitt) — top-scoring rosé in a blind tasting of 31 famous, expensive rosés: the 2013 Ventoux Rosé (£15), from a 600-metre Dentelles site, finishing ahead of L’Hydropathe, Miraval and all four d’Esclans wines including the £60 Garrus.
JancisRobinson.com (Julia Harding MW) — top-scoring and her personal favourite at 17.5/20: the Rosé 2013 (£15), tasted blind, topping 31 famous rosés — orangey pink, lightly stony red fruit, a lovely fragrance, refined, carefully oaked, "dry, profound and long."
Svenska Dagbladet (Mikael Mölstad) — proof of Provence’s quality: in a tasting by two English connoisseurs, Provence wines took the top eleven of 31 prestige rosés, with Chêne Bleu first, beside d’Esclans, Tempier and Domaines Ott (trans. from Swedish).
Vassar alumni magazine (Sharon Bowman) — making wines connoisseurs admire: a 2,000-foot site giving "a striking minerality," the reds praised for "pitch-perfect structure" young and "remarkably complex and self-assured" aged; Sierra-Rolet’s goal, "really thrilling wines… qualitatively interesting but also stylistically original."
Bistrot magazine — on its summer "tour de France des rosés": the Rosé 2013 (€16.10; 65% Grenache Noir, 30% Syrah, 5% Cinsault) from 30-plus-year-old vines above Crestet, round, fresh and fruity with lovely persistence — for finely spiced dishes and salads (trans. from French).
Le Bottin Gourmand (Suzanne Méthé) — a wine of great class: the Ventoux 2013 (€15.90), a model of "the good use of the barrel in a rosé" — "ample, silky and very fresh," with extra length (trans. from French).
Homme magazine — among 43 rosés from 85 tasted: the Ventoux 2013 (€15.90) from La Verrière high in the Dentelles, biodynamically farmed — "ambition is the watchword"; a Syrah-Grenache blend, vinous, complex, structured, richly fragrant yet fresh, with lovely length (trans. from French).
Le Figaro Vin (Pauline Versace) — among "6 good addresses for a meal in the vines": high in the Dentelles, the biodynamic estate’s summer "Chêno Box" picnic of garden vegetables and regional produce, with lodging at medieval La Verrière (trans. from French).
Maison Côté Sud — among its biodynamic whites: the Aliot 2010 (€50), a biodynamically farmed white with real character — "this oak has plenty of character" — straw-yellow, faintly Burgundian, for richer dishes at cellar temperature (trans. from French).
The Wine Advocate (Jeb Dunnuck) — 91 points: the 2013 Ventoux Rosé ($16), "clean, pure and classy, with fabulous purity," wild strawberry, white peach and crushed flowers over a medium-bodied, balanced, dry, refreshing palate — "an outstanding rosé."
The Sunday Times Style Magazine — a rosé obsession on its "Going Up" barometer of cool: "our latest rosé obsession," set above the supermarket pink of "Blossom Hill Satan."
Hotellerie Gastronomie Zeitung (Gabriel Tinguely) — best rosé in its class in its Weintipp: the Ventoux AOC 2013 (24.80 francs), "considered the best rosé," honoured at London and Stockholm, barrel-aged, citrus, grapefruit and passion-fruit, for seafood, poultry or grilled lamb (trans. from German).
Hotellerie Gastronomie Zeitung (Gabriel Tinguely) — best rosé in its class in its Weintipp: the Ventoux AOC 2013 (24.80 francs), "considered the best rosé," honoured at London and Stockholm, barrel-aged, citrus, grapefruit and passion-fruit, for seafood, poultry or grilled lamb (trans. from German).
Metropolitan Barcelona (Miquel Hudin) — a French rosé that "excels on all points": the Rosé 2013 (€16), light crushed strawberry, raspberry and orange peel, "no end of fresh," apricot tang into a dry finish — "expertly made… to pair with meals."
Quentin Sadler’s Wine Page — "Wine of the Week," 89/100: the 2009 Astralabe (£15.99, Waitrose; 70% old-vine Grenache and Syrah), a smoky nose of mineral, earthy, herbal notes, bright red fruit, peppery spice, firm tannins — "an elegant, balanced and joyous wine."
Burton Mail — a "spellbinding" pick in its "Thirsty Work" Halloween roundup: the Astralabe 2009 (£11.99, Waitrose), "inspired by astronomy… a wine to swoon over, with an enchanting, silky, berry-rich palate and smooth velvet overtones — far too good to share."
The Drinks Business (Simon Howland) — a new Rhône release beside its "award-winning rosé": the Astralabe 2009 (£18; 70% Grenache, 30% Syrah), a new red under Héloïse and Abélard, "peppery, with hints of kirsch… ripe red fruits, smooth tannins and bright acidity."
The Hong Kong Wine Times — a mind-blowing Grenache: the Abélard 2007 (HK$695; 90% Grenache, 10% Syrah), "something addictive… makes you want another bottle," "a soothing masculinity," seven years’ age in a lasting structure, "a long, elegant finish" — "well worth its price tag."
The Wall Street Journal (Will Lyons) — recommended in "Drinking Now": the Héloïse 2007 (£58; Syrah, Grenache, Viognier), "seductive and ripe berry fruit," a spicy, gamy cherry flavour, smooth and rich, "fresh and mouth-filling" — superb with game birds and red meat.
The Business Times — on Asia’s appetite for wine education: Nicole Rolet’s five-day Extreme Wine course "well-received by Chinese clients" amid booming Asian demand, the "not yours, not mine, but ours" philosophy framing wine as "magnified by the pleasure of sharing."
London Love Wine — profiled as a "Super-Rhône" with the full range praised: a team making succulent wines — the Rosé 2013 "astonishing potency without sacrificing… elegance," the Aliot 2010 "vivacious, fresh, exquisite fruit," the Abélard 2007 "the jewel in the crown… truly stunning."
Spittoon / UK Vins France — selected for "Absolutely Cracking Wines From France 2014": the Astralabe 2009, a standout in the £16–£30 "Classics" category chosen by ~40 journalists and 29 sommeliers, a beautifully balanced, lightly spiced Grenache-Syrah praised as "an absolute joy."
Square Mile — featured in its Technology Special: the Astralabe 2009, the maverick label founded by LSE CEO Xavier Rolet and wife Nicole with cutting-edge techniques at La Verrière; named for the son of Héloïse and Abélard, a rich, spicy, smooth dinner companion.
Les Vins de Fêtes — a Coup de Cœur from the CUV de Bordeaux: the Abélard, sommeliers Lénaïc Tévelle and Vincent Debien’s true discovery of 2014; twelve months’ ageing brings fine tannins and aromatic intensity — decanted, with a juicy rack of lamb.
The Sunday Times Magazine — featured among the Reds: the Abélard 2007, a deeply intense grenache swollen with berry and meaty flavours from some of France’s highest vineyards, earning its place alongside Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Barolo and Chianti Classico.
Bigger Than Your Head — "a world-class estate in the making" in Vaucluse: the Abélard 2007 earns "Excellent," a dark-ruby grenache-syrah from 45-year-old vines, remarkably fresh with blackberry, plum, graphite, leather and lavender, forthright yet balanced; all five wines show remarkable character.
Drinks International — among its "Di Dozen" round-up of the year’s big hitters: the Astralabe 2009, a Grenache-Syrah from the Rolets’ high-altitude La Verrière, an easy-drinking yet complex red blending avant-garde and tradition, "paving the way for the deformalisation of grand cru-style winemaking."
The Cheshire Magazine — hand-picked for its "Little Gift Book of Christmas": the Astralabe 2009, the No. 1 pick, chosen so even the fussiest recipients will be lost for words on Christmas morning — a stylish, smooth standout for any food lover’s gift list.
The Independent Magazine — selected for "Absolutely Cracking Wines from France": the Astralabe 2009, chosen by 41 journalists and singled out by Anthony Rose among the upper echelons of the reds as moreish and seductively spicy — a year the Rhône outshone Bordeaux.
Vantage Magazine — Editor’s Pick: the Astralabe 2009, a Grenache-Syrah christened for the son of lovers Héloïse and Abélard, whose names grace the estate’s other flagship reds; co-owner Nicole Sierra-Rolet celebrated among the best women in the game — don’t mind the price tag.
Your West End — in its "Festive Food and Cracking Christmas Parties": the Astralabe 2009, hand-picked among the season’s delights for the Capital, available from Hedonism, Huntsworth Wine and Waitrose Cellar — a standout for any stylish festive table.
Online Press — celebrated across the blogosphere: Winewatch TV votes the wines "killer," one of the year’s most exciting new wineries; iSanté praises the "complex and delicious" Abélard, The Kitchn its wine of the week, Grape Friend her favourite rosé.
Condé Nast Traveller — selected for "The Experts" Little Black Book: Nicole Sierra-Rolet and Chêne Bleu, "the best wine boot camp in the world," the Extreme Wine Experience guided by Clive Barlow MW and Nick Dumergue over six nights at La Verrière.
iSanté (Roger Morris) — "The Charm of Chêne Bleu": after an hour with Nicole Rolet, Morris concludes great wine goes better with great conversation; he finds the 2007 Abélard complex and delicious — "sophisticated currants and dark berries with a balsamic-like coda."
Sarment Wine Guide — a 90/100 selection: the Héloïse 2006, praised for its deep colour, modern nose of spicy black fruits, vanilla, cocoa and smoke, and an intense, rich palate with smooth tannins and a long finish — a Syrah cuvée "very well made."
Time Out Shanghai — spotlighted in "Summer Wines": the Rosé 2012, chosen by Sarment’s sommeliers as an ideal summer sip from an iconic Rhône estate — bright salmon-pink with strawberry and citrus, crisp, irresistible before dinner and a match for salads, barbecue and seafood.
Connecticut Cottages & Gardens — chosen for its "Having Shellfish?" pairing guide as the match for spaghetti alla vongole: an old-vine Grenache-Syrah, "outstanding, fragrant," with strawberry, red currant, mandarin and grapefruit — crisp, with a long finish that stands up to spice.
Jet — in its "Wine Not?": "Bosch’s Blue Oak," the striking label designed by Nicole Rolet after Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights, which won Best Wine Label at the 2010 Harper’s Design Awards; one of France’s highest vineyards.
The Sun — in its Wine & Cocktail section: the acclaimed "blue oak" newcomer launched across Greater China, ranked No. 59 in The Top 100 Wines in the World, praised by Steven Spurrier, Zelma Long and Jancis Robinson.
Special Report — "The Blue Oak," one of France’s most exciting new wines, launching across Greater China: the biodynamic estate, ranked No. 59 in The Top 100 Wines in the World, graces tables from Sketch and Nobu to Ai Fiori and Saison.
L’Express Hors-série — producer of "haute couture" country wines, one of southern France’s highest vineyards at 550 metres: Steven Spurrier hails them in Decanter as exceptional, Michel Bettane judges Chêne Bleu already among the region’s best.
Beverage Media — in "Pink Tide Rising": the 2012, a Grenache-dominant blend with Syrah and a touch of Cinsault, briefly oak-aged, "silky smooth with a rich, viscous texture"; co-owner Nicole Rolet an advocate for age-worthy rosé, noting the best "can evolve magnificently."
Esquire — "Blue Dreams," the love story behind Chêne Bleu: Nicole Rolet’s blue-oak label, after Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights, won Best Wine Label at the 2010 Harper’s Design Awards; the 30-hectare high-altitude vineyard yields the romantic reds Abélard and Héloïse.
Harpers (Geoffrey Dean) — "why Chêne Bleu deserves its ‘Super Rhône’ reputation": like Sassicaia and Ornellaia, it sidesteps appellation rules to super-premium heights, drawing plaudits from Bettane, Robinson, Parker and Spurrier, marrying northern-Rhône freshness with southern concentration, spice and garrigue.
Vigneron — "Le Chêne Bleu s’enracine": Michel Bettane praises the merveilleux high-altitude terroir beyond the Dentelles, where the Rolets craft some of the sector’s most refined wines — a harmonious rosé, characterful whites, and two great reds, Héloïse and Abélard (trans. from French).
Wine Enthusiast (The Tenth Degree) — in "Life of the Party": the Rosé, a high-end Provençal pink to stuff the ice bucket with for Labor Day weekend, a standout to impress your hosts — in elegant company beside Château d’Esclans Garrus.
A Personal Domaine (John Stimpfig) — the extraordinary story of the Rolets’ perfectionist La Verrière estate, whose wines Decanter’s Steven Spurrier calls exceptional, admiring their "intelligent, haute-couture approach"; hailed as a new cult wine in the making.
Saveur (Sarah Bray) — in "Drink This Now": the Rosé 2012, a full-bodied, tart, rich rosé worth drinking well beyond summer, tasted at the ninth-century La Verrière — a deliberate contrast to crisper Provençal pinks, with a redcurrant spine.
Cult Wine (Elisabeth Gabay MW) — named among labels with "the makings of a cult wine": its engraved label, by Neil Tully MW with input from Zelma Long, centres the old blue oak amid hidden clues to the owners’ story.
HI!! Magazine — a cover interview, "Investment Banker Turned Winemaker": Nicole Sierra-Rolet on her perfectionist philosophy at the boutique Provence estate, where "haute-couture" wines are hand-picked and individually sorted with natural, biodynamic methods; she likens great wine to great poetry.
BBC World Fast Track — spotlighted on its "France Direct" episode: a showcase of the estate and its winemaking, bringing the high-altitude Provence domaine and its acclaimed wines to BBC World’s international television audience.
Financial Times (Jancis Robinson) — the Provençal rosé the critic confesses she "lost her heart to": the 2010 Vin de Pays du Vaucluse, grown within sight of the Dentelles above Gigondas, earning pride of place among her pink picks beside d’Esclans and Château Léoube.
Affiches Parisiennes — in "Vins de Saisons": a superb estate at the foot of the Dentelles, a lovely Grenache (60%), Syrah (35%) and Cinsault (5%) blend with a delicate gooseberry-red robe under Nicole Rolet — generous, richly fruity.
Appeal — "a wine and a winery for the 21st century": a rising star on every cultivated oenophile’s lips, grown, hand-picked, made and matured in a unique "haute couture style," as Steven Spurrier describes, crafted by the Rolets at high-altitude La Verrière.
British GQ (Jonathan Ray) — chosen as the first wine in GQ’s £2,500 dream cellar: the ‘Abélard’ 2006, named ahead of Bollinger, Pol Roger and Pontet-Canet, the debut from a new biodynamic "Super Rhône" producer — "a fine-grained blockbuster bursting with smooth, ripe.
Le Point (Jacques Dupont) — 16.5/20 in its special rosé issue: the Rosé (Ventoux), a top scorer in the Rhône selection, praised for an expressive nose of pomelo, strawberry and redcurrant, a savoury, unctuous palate, abundant freshness and a persistent, gourmand finish.
L’Express (Bettane & Desseauve) — chosen among the stars of summer: the Rosé Ventoux 2011, from a domaine the Rolets are determined to raise to the top of its appellation with an ultra-modern winery — astonishing, silky, supple and fresh.
South China Morning Post — named among the French wines distributed in Hong Kong by Perfect Vintage, retired HSBC banker Gordon Yuen’s new venture: chosen beside Château Paul Mas as the estate launched into Hong Kong’s booming, tax-free wine market.
Vigneron (Léa Delpont) — "Xavier Rolet: de la Bourse à la Vigne": how the LSE CEO transformed a ruin at La Verrière into Chêne Bleu, its atypical, powerful reds — Abélard, Héloïse, Astralabe — commanding Châteauneuf prices.
Wine Spectator (James Molesworth) — "one of the most exciting new projects… in the southern Rhône": visiting high-altitude La Verrière, he finds the 2009 Abélard the more stylish flagship red — dusty-edged, rich linzer and plum with a gorgeous pain d’épices note.
Gault & Millau — a coup de cœur in its summer rosé selection: the Côtes du Ventoux 2011, praised as delicate, meticulous, passionate work where "the precision is joyful and the mastery never merely technical," its liquorice-laced finish "a true delight" (trans. from French).
Gault & Millau — in "Spécial Provence — La Route de la Lavande": a beautifully restored high-altitude estate near Crestet, the spiced Abélard "one of the best-structured reds in the south-east," the ample, silky Héloïse offering gourmand, chocolatey tannins.
Point de Vue — "Soif de Singularité," on the Rolets’ secret passion: the LSE chief and his wife craft "haute couture" country wine from a terroir between Mont Ventoux and the Dentelles; Steven Spurrier hails it exceptional, Michel Bettane already among the region’s best.
Prestige (Gerrie Lim) — "Rhône Ranger," an interview with Nicole Sierra-Rolet: on high-altitude La Verrière, the flagship reds Abélard and Héloïse, and the "Super Rhône" approach that won immediate praise from Michel Bettane and Steven Spurrier, plus her founding of the International Grenache Symposium.
Privat Collector (Simon Brooke) — on France’s high-end wine renaissance: standing out among producers turning the tide on New World wines, the Rolets’ biodynamic estate — now in its sixth year — wins plaudits from Harpers and draws collectors.
Santa Maria Sun (Wendy Thies Sell) — in "Brave New World": an "upper echelon" French winery where Santa Barbara consultant Doug Margerum helps craft the assemblage; Nicole Sierra-Rolet calls the cross-continental collaboration winemaking’s future, the couture red Rhônes selling for $100.
The Tasting Panel — "Medieval Meets Modern," at the crossroads of the southern and northern Rhône: high-altitude La Verrière at the boundary of four appellations, old vines drawing a mineral "seasoning" — Héloïse 2006 focused and feminine, Abélard 2006 muscular.
LCI–TF1 (Pascal Emond) — for "La diversité des rosés en 8 bouteilles": the Rosé Ventoux 2011, dubbed "le beau rebelle," a clear yet intense colour, an elegant, discreet redcurrant nose with a floral edge, beautiful fruit, freshness and tension.
La Dolce Vita (Kirsten Honeyman) — "Garden Hopping in Provence": a visit to Domaine de La Verrière for a tasting and a tour of its gardens, where the 2010 Viognier’s bouquet proves so intoxicating that drinking almost seems superfluous.
Men’s Up — in its "L’Été en Rosé" guide: the Rosé Ventoux 2011 from Xavier Rolet’s 135-hectare estate, a richly perfumed Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault opening on citrus and red berries before vanilla-tinged barrel notes — gourmand, fleshy, almost opulent.
Vogue India (Feroze Gujral) — "Swirling Holidays," a wine-lover’s escape to La Verrière: the five-day Extreme Wine Experience offers cellar tours, vineyard sessions and 100+ wines with great food; the jewels are the two reds.
Vino! Magazine Belgium (Dirk Rodriguez) — "Renaissance of a Historic Terroir": the Abélard 2006, ripe fruit, spice, liquorice and cocoa over mineral freshness, named the tasting’s favourite; the rare partly oak-aged Rosé earns special mention, and Grenache is celebrated as the estate’s star.
Hong Kong Tatler (Dirk Rodriguez) — a Côtes du Rhône Villages report: at Crestet, "the renaissance of a historic terroir," the Abélard 2006 the reviewers’ favourite — harmonious ripe fruit, spice, liquorice and cocoa against mineral freshness.
La Revue du Vin de France — among its 450 finest wines of 2010: the Rosé Magnum 2009 earns 17/20, matching Beaucastel and Domaine de Marcoux — a beautiful, thirst-quenching Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault from the high terroirs of Montmirail, finely oaked.
Le Figaro Magazine (Alexie Valois) — "Marc Nucera, sculpteur en arbres": the artist who gave Chêne Bleu its name sculpted ~100 trees on abandoned La Verrière, turning a dying oak — coated in copper-blue bordeaux mixture — into art.
Ventoux guide — named a "Rising Star": Domaine de La Verrière, the magnificent hilltop estate Xavier Rolet refurbished over fifteen years — a village of hotel, restaurant, wine school and winery, where the Syrah-dominated Héloïse provides a silky foil to the denser, Grenache-based Abélard.
La Provence — a Cairanne festival piece (headline, subhead and photo caption only): a general report on the village celebrating Côtes du Rhône over a weekend of tastings; no mention of Chêne Bleu or the Rolets.
Travel feature — "an estate worth visiting": La Verrière, Cave du Chêne Bleu at Le Crestet, a luxurious haven of peace with medieval origins, set deep in Provence among the oaks and cedars of the protected Dentelles de Montmirail.
Travel + Leisure (Bruce Schoenfeld) — in "Ultimate Wine Lover’s France": La Verrière, the Rolets’ working winery and country retreat above Crestet, among the southern Rhône’s recommended stays; Nicole Sierra-Rolet captures the region’s soul, prizing villages with "a heartbeat" — festivals, bakeries and gossip.
Food & Travel, Drinks News — Chêne Bleu’s Extreme Wine Experience at La Verrière: spend five intense days this summer and walk away with your WSET Intermediate certificate, pairing over 100 premium wines with lectures by Masters of Wine, food-and-wine matching and cellar management.
L’Express — "De la City à la Winery": LSE chief Xavier Rolet crafts Chêne Bleu, a "haute couture" wine sold from Hong Kong to New York, conceived as a "Super Rhône" fulfilling a fifteen-year dream born of the geology of the Dentelles.
La Presse (AFP) — "dans le jardin secret de Xavier Rolet": how the LSE chief turned a 9th-century ruin into a Provençal paradise, its flagship reds Abélard and Héloïse from decades-old Syrah and Grenache drawing early acclaim.
Yahoo Notícias Brazil (AFP) — how the LSE chief turned a 9th-century ruin into a Provençal paradise: the flagship reds Abélard and Héloïse, from Syrah and Grenache, won early acclaim and strong marks from the Bettane guide and Wine Spectator.
House & Garden (Louisa Jones) — "Vintage Territory": the sensitively restored ninth-century hamlet behind Chêne Bleu, already hailed among France’s most promising new wines; the Rolets revived its vineyards, olive groves and lavender fields, adding Marc Nucera’s tree sculptures.
Wine Review Korea — "Super Provence Chêne Bleu," arrived in Korea via Kooksoondang L&B: the high-altitude estate rejects AOC rules to capture its terroir freely in the Super Tuscan spirit, its Vin de Pays quality surpassing many an AOC — complex.
Square Mile (Mark Hedley) — "Wine With Altitude": the Aliot 2007 won universal praise in WineChap Tom Harrow’s airborne tasting — aboard a private jet replicating long-haul conditions, where champagnes and steely Chablis lost impact, the Provençal Aliot held its ground.
Elle Decoration — in its "Top of the Class" guide to expert wine lessons: the Extreme Wine Experience at La Verrière, singled out for combining expert tuition with a luxury five-night break — "the ultimate boot camp for wine enthusiasts," with top wines.
The Wall Street Journal Europe (Bruce Palling) — "A Tasteful Passion," on wine lovers who built their own vineyards: the Rolets’ Chêne Bleu a standout, their restored medieval priory yielding top reds that retail in London at £65 and grace Sketch.
Financial Times (Weekend People) — "Nicole Sierra-Rolet, taking Chêne Bleu to the world": the LSE boss and his ex-banker wife among French vignerons awaiting the Rhône tastings after a vintage Parker hailed for opulence; their Chêne Bleu graces Sketch and Nobu.
Winery directory — a family winery making only luxury "haute couture" wines of the highest natural quality: nestled in a medieval site high in the Dentelles near Châteauneuf-du-Pape, an exceptional terroir of altitude, isolation and geology.
Focus Magazine — the Extreme Wine Experience, "the Rolls Royce of wine courses": for those serious but short on time, the five-day full-immersion programme at the luxury Provence estate, hosted once a year, tutored by Clive Barlow.
The World of Fine Wine (Margaret Rand) — in an "On the Vine" profile of Zelma Long: Chêne Bleu among the high-calibre projects drawing on her consultancy, high-altitude La Verrière with old vines and Jurassic substrata embodying Nicole Rolet’s escalating perfectionism.
South China Morning Post (Enoch Yiu) — "From wine and romance, a sweet vineyard dream": ex-banker Nicole Rolet putting her vintage on the world map, the piece tracing the Rolets’ revival of La Verrière and their flagship reds.
La Revue du Vin de France — 17/20 in "Rosés: La Fine Fleur Française — Nos 100 Plus Belles Cuvées": the VDP du Vaucluse Magnum 2009 named among France’s 100 finest rosés, a pressing rosé "very beautiful.
Harpers Wine & Spirit — in "New Taste": the super-premium French "brand" newly imported by Winelife after a decade transforming La Verrière — the Grenache-Syrah Abélard 2006, a nose of smoke, vanilla, dark fruit and spice, smooth and velvety, the Aliot complex.
Houston Chronicle (Dale Robertson) — "The Gospel of Grenache": some 200 enthusiasts from 22 countries gathered at restored La Verrière for the first International Grenache Symposium, the brainchild of Steven Spurrier and Walter McKinlay; the grenache-driven Abélard, Robertson muses.
Houston Chronicle (Dale Robertson) — "The Gospel of Grenache": some 200 enthusiasts from 22 countries gathered at restored La Verrière for the first International Grenache Symposium, the brainchild of Steven Spurrier and Walter McKinlay; the grenache-driven Abélard, Robertson muses.
Belgravia (Kate White) — "Fine Wine Bootcamp": how Nicole Sierra-Rolet found an unexpected passion, designing the ultimate full-immersion course at La Verrière and crafting Chêne Bleu, a "couture wine" made to exacting biodynamic standards with Philippe Cambie and Zelma Long.
Paradizo — the Extreme Wine Experience at La Verrière, unlike anything in higher-end luxury travel: Nicole Rolet drew on investment-banking standards for a five-day full-immersion retreat in an elegant Provençal villa, with lectures, hands-on winery work and exceptional wines.
The Drinks Report — a southern Rhône start-up taking multiple medals at its first International Wine Challenge: all four debut 2006 wines won three medals — a Gold for the Roussanne-based Aliot 2006 and Silvers for the flagship reds Abélard and Héloïse.
La Tribune (Pascal Boulard) — "Le Pari du Chêne Bleu": a slightly mad wager, to craft a haute-couture wine in a terroir of easygoing cuvées; the Rolets fell for a ruin, La Verrière, restoring it top to bottom.
Decanter — "A Taste of Chêne Bleu," on the newly launched Vin de Pays range from the high-altitude estate: the 2007s show beautiful harmony — the Abélard abundant red and black fruits over silky tannins, the Aliot rich with peach and white flowers.
just-drinks.com — a "Product Launch": Chêne Bleu launches its first wines on the UK market via Sarment; the family-owned Provence estate makes "handmade wines of the utmost natural purity" with biodynamic practices, hand picking and low yields — the reds Héloïse and Abélard.
La Provence (Bernard Sorbier) — "une ambiance viticole hors du temps": a jewel of an estate in a slice of paradise, Domaine de la Verrière high in the Dentelles at 500 metres with sweeping Ventoux views — a largely underground cellar, twice-sorted grapes.
The Sunday Times (Prufrock) — "Rolet’s premier tipple is all white": Chêne Bleu’s British debut at Mayfair’s Sketch, where Nicole Rolet recounted her first date with Xavier; defying local convention by growing a white grape in a red area.
City A.M. (Zoe Strimpel) — "London’s first couple of wine": Nicole Rolet on twelve years of perfectionist slogging to build Chêne Bleu, its wines named for medieval lovers as yin and yang — the heavy, aromatic Grenache-based Abélard.
Luxury Travel Magazine (Jessica Colley) — "Dreaming of Provence": a glowing account of La Verrière, the Rolets’ hilltop estate, its restored medieval priory blending romantic landscape with concealed hi-tech comforts; Colley admires the rosé’s complex flavours and colour.
La Dauphiné Libéré — "Le caveau de la Verrière va ouvrir ses portes," marking the new tasting cellar: the young Franco-American couple’s estate in the Crestet forest near Séguret and Gigondas, 35 hectares of vines at 550 metres.
Town & Country (Elena Bowes) — "Sip-Away Camp," on the Extreme Wine Experience: frustrated by the lack of intensive European wine courses, ex-banker Nicole Sierra-Rolet created her own "luxury boot camp," a five-day course with Clive Barlow MW.
The Daily Telegraph Ultratravel — "Vin Extraordinaire," in its "Heaven on Earth" summer edition: La Verrière, the Rolets’ recently renovated ninth-century manor, now home to the Chêne Bleu Extreme Wine Experience — the couple’s first "wine bootcamp," pairing tastings and workshops with excursions.