The wines made by the monks and nuns of the Barroux abbey and Vignerons Caritatis (a collaboration between winemakers) have a long, rich history as they come from the oldest, papal vineyard which was planted in around 1309 by Pape Clément V. They also continue the long tradition of monk making wine in France.
Located in Provence at the foot of Mont Ventoux, Barroux Abbey was created in 1970 by Dom Gérard Calvet from a famous Bordeaux wine merchant family.
In 1986, nuns joined the monks how had already settled here and took up the running of the vineyard to continue the work there. In 2010, Jean-Dominique Artaud, who was head winegrower at Domaine de la Janasse in Châteauneuf-du-Pape at the time, told the monks and nuns that their mountain vineyard could be the site of a fine wine. From 2011 onwards, they set about making changes to their wines in this new direction. The Via Caritatis project, uniting the monks and nuns with Beaumont winemakers, was launched with the oenologist Philippe Cambie offering advice until his passing. 30 hectares of wines (10 of which are cared for by the nuns) are tended to using organic production methods and the wines are made in a cooperative cellar. 140,000 bottles of wine are made from grapes that come from plots that are becoming more and more qualitative. There’s no time like the present to discover the wines made these monks and nuns.

This rosé is a blend of two varieties: Grenache which brings generosity and aromas and Syrah which offers freshness and elegance. The monks, nuns and winemakers that produce this wine decided to find the vines on the coolest part of the mountain where the sun balances out the wind that blows against Mont Ventoux.
The vines are tended to using organic methods and yields are controlled. The grapes are harvested when they’re ripe and are taken to the Beaumont cellars to start vinification in concrete vats at low temperatures. They are pressed at low pressure using a pneumatic press without being destemmed and the must is clarified. The wine is aged on its fine lees for about 6 months with the lees being stirred.
Tasting the rosé reveals an intense palate, a floral nose with tropical fruit aromas and a long, balanced finish.