FRANCE

Saint Patrice

The roots of Saint Patrice date back to the 17th century. At that time the estate belonged to the daughter of one of the advisors of King Louis XIV.
The following centuries shaped the Clos, its vines, and its wines. In 1838, Clos Saint Patrice was identified as «one of the best Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyards» (in the directory ‘L’annuaire de Vaucluse’, 1838). Various writings confirm the reputation of the Clos, which was even described as«the oldest Châteauneuf-du-Pape cru» in the 1920s.
In 2009, Guy Julian and his son Jérôme purchased the Clos. These descendants of a modest family of Châteauneuf-du-Pape winegrowers became the first owners of a monopoly in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
In 2014, Samuel Montgermont, the man in charge of the Maison Grandes Serres in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, first tasted the wines of the Clos Saint Patrice. He was instantly won over by the terroir of the Clos. For him, Saint Patrice wines represent the very best of what the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation can offer; finesse, balance and aromatic character.
Situated in the heart of the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, on a soil of rounded pebbles and silica, the Clos Saint Patrice, which had been forgotten for too long, was revived by Samuel Montgermont and the Julian family.
In 2015, the Montgermont-Julian alliance was made official, opening a new chapter in the history of the Clos Saint Patrice.
The Saint Patrice plot is situated in the very heart of the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in an area called Saint-Patrice. It enjoys an unhindered view of the famous castle which has dominated the village and its vineyards for almost 800 years.
The Clos is located on the appellation’s main Villafranchian terrace and is south-facing, benefiting from sunlight all day long. The surface of the soil is made up of the remarkable and specific rounded silica pebbles which give the appellation its originality and depth. Beneath the surface the soil is rich in clay and sand colluvial deposits left at the base of the hillslope.
This unique location gives the terroir of Saint Patrice a strong identity thanks to the perfect balance between the warmth from the sun exposure of the vineyard, the rounded pebbles, ideally mitigated by the cooling nature of the clay and lightness of the sand.
The 1.8 hectares Clos is made up of very old Grenache and Mourvèdre vines created by ancient massal selections, regularly planted with new vines of certified top quality.
The vines of the Clos are tended according to the principles of organic agriculture and evolve thanks to the attention to detail, precision and patience of Guy and Jérôme Julian. The father and son have always been attentive to the soil and their vines, and apply traditional working practices; no chemical products are used at all costs. Their know-how has grown with time and experience, allowing them to perfectly manage each vine, remove the buds at the right time and avoid drought. Age-old methods such as furrowing, forming mounds and ploughing the vine s are preferred methods at the Clos. The grapes are exclusively hand- picked, at optimal maturity, before being carefully sorted. The winemaking process itself is also performed in a gentle and natural manner.
The aim is to produce wines that are balanced, elegant and refined.