Nicole Sierra-Rolet of Chêne Bleu and James Wood of Winemakers Rock pour "A Tour de Ventoux"

"Chêne Bleu" wine dinner

​Expressive, fresh and balanced wines, brimming with character from a relatively unknown region of France’s Southern Rhône, Ventoux is deeply satisfying and uniquely different.  Renowned for its Tour de France cycling challenges, Ventoux is undergoing an explosion of quality winemaking by independent producers.  Once the land of cooperatives, these independent producers are planting their flag, helping to shine the spotlight on the region.  While co-ops still make up the majority of winemakers in Ventoux, over the past twenty years, these independent grower-winemakers have multiplied exponentially, quietly fleshing out their region’s well-kept secret.

"A Tour de Ventoux" wine dinner at Tesse Restaurant

"Chêne Bleu" wine dinner at Tesse Restaurant

James Wood makes a compelling case for Ventoux wines

Nicole Sierra-Rolet explains the ancient soils of Ventoux

These members of the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine are ardent fans of Chêne Bleu wines

​I have to admit I wasn’t familiar with the wines of Ventoux, even as a French Wine Scholar and wine writer.  So I jumped at the chance to learn more and explore the region.  Over two nights of winemaker dinners at Tesse Restaurant in Los Angeles, I explored the wines of Ventoux, part of the wineTOURia series of wine dinners by Andy Abramson.  Abramson’s goal, “Embark On the Wine Roads Less Traveled”, was delivered as promised, where wine tasting, education, food and wine pairing, and lively conversation came together in an “aha” moment.  Time to explore the vibrant wines of Ventoux!

Chêne Bleu harvest, Courtesy of Chêne Bleu

You might not even know where Ventoux is on the map, but it keeps very good company.  Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a neighbor and it’s technically part of northern Provence but really identified more with the Rhône Valley.  But that’s where any similarities stop, and Ventoux comes into its own, inhabiting a very unique sphere of wine.  Mostly red and rosé wines are made, with a small percentage of white, and while the grape varietals are the usual suspects of the southern Rhône, somehow they express themselves differently.  Grenache and Syrah are the heavy hitters, but these are cool-climate manifestations that radiate freshness, fruit character and balance.

Ventoux vineyards, Courtesy of Chateau Unang

The wild beauty of the Ventoux, Courtesy of Via Caritatis

​One of the oldest wine regions in France, Ventoux has over two thousand years of winemaking history.  Originally defined as an AOC in 1973 as Côtes de Ventoux, in the past 14 years, it became known just as Ventoux, comprised of 51 different communes in the Vaucluse region.  Here, vineyards arise from the fractured geological landscape, which is like a layer cake diagonally sliced, expressing incredible soil diversity and grape growing possibilities.  Affordable vineyard land and a biodiverse landscape that lends itself to organic and biodynamic vineyard practices contributes to the mix.  Recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, a rich tapestry of plant, insect and animal life populate the region through its national parks, nature reserves and farm land.  This biodiversity benefits the vines in ways that are still not totally understood, but bees, butterflies and countless microorganisms work in concert to enrich the environment, and so eventually the wines.

Domaine Via Caritatis, where monks and nuns cultivate vines, Courtesy of Via Caritatis

Vineyards at Chateau Unang, Courtesy of Chateau Unang

​Yet, climate is the catalyst behind Ventoux’s rise, it is the coolest appellation in the southern Rhône.  Within the valleys and slopes of the Ventoux, the vineyards are cooled by the influence of towering Mont Ventoux and the surrounding hills, acting as an antidote to climate change, which has affected the southern Rhône in recent years.  Dizzying diurnal temperature swings extends the hang time of the grapes, slowly ripening the clusters, preserving acidity and balance, and developing rich complex flavors.  The vineyards are sheltered by these very hills from the full force of the strong Mistral wind that blows from the northwest to the Mediterranean, which can torment the vines with its cold, harsh gales.

Courtesy of Chêne Bleu

All of these ingredients constitute a recipe for viticultural success, and promise of greatness from a region just defining what is possible.  Twelve white grape varietals and fifteen red grape varietals are currently being cultivated.  Growers and producers are experimenting with ancient grape varietals, whites such as Clairette, Picpoul and Bourboulenc, and reds like Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise.  And with this focus on quality, Ventoux looks poised to be the next rising wine star!

Nicole Sierra-Rolet with Chêne Bleu's love story, Abélard and Héloïse

So, it’s only fitting that Chêne Bleu, a breakout star of the region, took center stage at the first wine dinner.  Nicole Sierra-Rolet, Co-Founder and CEO, poured their highly acclaimed wines over the span of a three course dinner, captivating all with her passion, knowledge and enthusiasm for this piece of heaven.

SCEA Domaine de La Verrière, Crestet, the home of Chêne Bleu

The inspiration for Chêne Bleu's name, the Blue Oak

​Chêne Bleu was founded by her husband, Xavier Rolet, and together they have worked to transform the run-down Domaine La Verrière estate into a beacon of light for what is possible in Ventoux.  Chêne Bleu, or the “Blue Oak” is named after an ancient oak tree on the property, that was parched by the 2005 drought, and painted with “Bordeaux Mix” to save it.  The treatment turned the tree blue-green, extending its life and becoming a metaphor for their dream, to preserve and protect the essence of the vineyard while showcasing its character and quality.  And although the tree was mortally wounded in a 2020 storm, it served to plant “little acorns” of goals that have bloomed over the thirty years that the Rolets have pursued their winemaking project.

The Domaine, Courtesy of Chêne Bleu

Xavier Rolet tending to his bees, Courtesy of Chêne Bleu

Courtesy of Chêne Bleu

The Rolets are dedicated to the environment, and that is the source of their strength.  By working in concert with the earth, and nurturing the natural world in a biodynamic and organic way, Chêne Bleu’s dedication to not just their vineyard but the region as a whole serves to remind us all of the connectivity of life.  The Domaine, ringed by forests, is a protected sanctuary and wildlife haven, home to 1400 species of butterflies and most importantly, bees.  The role of bees can’t be overstated, and so Xavier is the Master Beekeeper, hoping to prove that “happy bees result in fine wine”

Chêne Bleu Le Rosé 2022

Chêne Bleu Aliot 2018

Chêne Bleu Abélard and Héloïse 2015

​Five wines were profiled at the Chêne Bleu dinner, a rosé, white and three reds.  Le Rosé, a Grenache blend, is fresh and elegant, its citrus notes accent the raspberry and redcurrant fruit, a delicious melange of texture, structure and length.  Aliot, a Roussanne blend, demonstrated the intense, rich character expected of Roussanne, but maintains its acidity with elegance and finesse.  Rêve de Scipion, their newly minted GSM blend, is fragrant and velvety, with ripe red fruit and spice, an ode to the philosopher Scipio, whose dream wrestled with the dilemma of hedonism versus virtue, but why choose when this wine offers both?!  The two flagship wines, Abélard and Héloïse, are named for a famous pair of lovers from the Middle Ages, an ode to “Passion and Persistence”.  Abélard, a Grenache blend, is rich and concentrated, perfumed with ripe red fruit, black cherry, sweet spice and mocha notes, the silky tannins swirl around the core, finishing very long.  Héloïse, a Syrah blend, is elegant and supple, notes of prune, licorice, sweet spice and hint of truffle float on a long finish.

Nicole Sierra-Rolet and James Wood explain what makes Ventoux wines so special

Night two, a "Tour de Ventoux", explored eleven wines from five producers, over appetizers and a two course dinner.  Ventoux winemaker James Wood toured us through an in-depth look at its evolving landscape of wine.  Much of my knowledge is attributed to Wood, whose superior communication and passion for the wines led me to think, “Where have I been?!”  As we tasted our way through the wines, alongside a spectacular food and wine pairing by the staff at Tesse Restaurant, the incredible freshness and balance impressed me, alongside a supple and aromatic essence that was bewitching.  

Nicole Sierra-Rolet of Chêne Bleu

Wines from Chateau Unang, named for the sandy vineyard soils overtop limestone “unang”, are a project of Scottish couple James and Joanna King, who have worked for over twenty years to renovate the property and transition to organic farming.  Clos de Trias is widely regarded for owner/winemaker Even Bakke’s intuitive winemaking, using natural, non-interventionist methods as much as possible.  Domaine via Caritatis, produced by monks and nuns from the Benedictine Abbey of Le Barroux, grow their vines with loving care from the site of the very first papal vineyard in the southern Rhône, established 700 years ago.  Chêne Bleu has been at the forefront of the drive to quality, and the incomparable Nicole Sierra-Rolet returned with her flagship wines.  Finally, James Wood with his up close and personal take, his own Grenache Rocks! wine, a project of his Winemakers Rock wines that showcase true varietal expression and sense of place.

Cheers to Ventoux! Thanks to Andy Abramson of wineTOURia and Jordan Ogron of Tesse Restaurant for organizing this journey!

This excursion into the world of Ventoux wines was fascinating, and enlightening.  It was a perfect nightcap to celebrating 50 years of Ventoux AOC wine, a secret no more, as this very exciting wine region gets its due, with the quality and respect it deserves.