Domaine and vineyard

Saint Chinian

St Chinian is a local marketplace dating back to 825 when a monastery was founded by Saint Anian, on the site the Mairie. St Chinian acquired its own AOC status in 1982 in recognition of the quality of viticulture and wines from this unspoilt area in the foothills of the Black Mountains and the Highlands of the Parc Naturel Regional du Haut Languedoc. The small appellation covers 20 communes and produces mainly red but also has some white and rosé wines. Unlike many of the Languedoc wines grown extensively on the plains below, the vines grow on rugged hillsides facing the Mediterranean Sea and the distant Pyrenees at an altitude of 100-200m. St Chinian wines have a long-standing reputation going back as far as the 14th century, but the proudly self sufficient area of small villages is less visited or well known.

Combebelle is located in the heart of AOC St Chinian with 15ha under vine, planted with Syrah (60%) and Grenache (40%) . In 2008 we successfully grafted Grenache onto existing Cabernet Sauvignon vines. We retain unused AOC planting rights and plan to plant white varietals such as Roussanne, Grenache Blanc & Viognier in the future, as our location, terroir and altitude should produce some stunning white wines.

The vines surround the winery, and at 265-300m this is one of the highest vineyard in St Chinian. Historically, production has been of premium red wine only, but in 2007 we introduced our first Award winning rosé, and our decision was further vindicated by a Médaille d’Or for the 2008 vintage. Total production potential is around 40-50,000 bottles, the majority of which will be AOC red (unwooded) and AOC “haute de gamme” (barrel aged), with about 10% AOC Rosé. In exceptional years we will produce wine from a single vineyard (parcelle) which most typifies the vintage, grape and unique terroir at Combebelle – Cuvée Henri.

Combebelle has for over a decade successfully combined production of high quality wines with sustainable and environmentally friendly modern Biodynamic methods of viticulture/wine making. Combebelle is certified by ECOCERT and the National Organic Programme (NOP) which both govern & regulate the products used in the vineyard and winery.

Since 1995, previous owners have invested in this AOC classified vineyard and improved the quality of the wine, achieving international recognition from Robert Parker with ratings of 92/100 for the wines. Combebelle has also been rated and written about by Jancis Robinson, Monty Waldin, Andrew Jefford and other eminent journalists/authors. Since we have owned Combebelle, we have continued to gain recognition and awards for all our wines, winning a total of 15 medals at international and national wine competitions in the first three years.

In 2007, Combebelle wines received multiple Awards in National and International competitions, including Gold from the Concours Mondial Bruxelles, Concours Vignerons Independent, Challenge International du Vin, Signature Bio, and Silver from Decanter World Wine Awards & Concours Vignerons Independent, and a Commendation from the International Wine Challenge. And in 2008, Château de Combebelle AOC St Chinian Rouge 2005 is listed in the prestigious “Guide Hachette”.

In 2008 we continued our medal-winning successes, with the 2006 vintage and in 2009 our second vintage ofthe rosé won GOLD at the Concours Général Agricole in Paris. A full list of all our awards can be found on the Awards page.

All Red and Rosé Combebelle wines available today have won Awards or Medals in National or International prestigious competitions, a total of fifteen such accolades in three years. In addition Combebelle wines are listed in the Guide Hachette and Guide des Vins Gilbert & Gaillard, and have been praised in a number of Wine magazine reviews including Decanter, Drinks Business, Harpers Wine & Spirit...

View the Domaine and vineyards on Google Earth coordinates 43 22‘ 19.66’’ North 2 53’ 05.00’’ East Eye Alt 5000

Our committment

« Top quality wine sustainable and environmentally friendly viticulture »

Quality is very important at every stage.

Some grapes are picked by hand, while grapes destined for the rosé are carefully machine harvested at night to ensure the fruity freshness that comes from rapid cool transfer to the winery.

Production volume is naturally very low (25-30hl/ha) giving the wine concentration, depth, complexity and refinement.

The quality and health of the grapes is naturally protected by the garrigue and mountains which surround Combebelle. The unspoilt natural environment protects the vines, and in return we protect the biodiversity of our environment by using natural Biodynamic methods and compost, and not using the permitted artificial chemicals and herbicides commonly used in the wine industry.

Planting specific organic plants suited to our soil & environment enhances the natural biodiversity & ecosystem that already exists in our vineyards. A local beekeeper keeps hives around the property to encourage pollination of the plants and herbs around the property.

We continue a 20 year practice of sustainable and environmentally friendly biodynamic viticulture.
Our knowledgeable and dedicated team has many years experience in combining high quality standards of production with sustainable and environmentally friendly viticulture. As a result we have gained certification by the international agencies ECOCERT and NOP for our sustainable organic methods. For 20 years, Combebelle has used environmentally sustainable, “Biodynamic” techniques to combine traditional natural vineyard care with modern viticulture methods. As a result, Combebelle vineyards are often covered in carpets of flowers and natural herbs which leave a hint of “garrigue” in the flavours of the wines.

As a Biodynamic vineyard, Combebelle is more labour-intensive than other vineyards as we prefer to work the soil rather than “feed” it with artificial nutrients or “poison” it with insecticides/pesticides which can impart their flavour into the wine. Instead, we use organic composts and plough the soil at certain times of the year to provide the right amount of nutrients/protection to the vines and to aerate the soil to ensure that it remains healthy and viable for viticulture. This helps to maintain the equilibrium of the local ecosystem and encourages the vines to thrive using natural defences, avoiding unnecessary chemicals to produce quality wine.

Winemaking combines science, art, and skill to handcraft wines that capture the unique characteristics of the rugged and varied terroir, the naturally healthy vines, and the clean high altitude ecosystem.

an exceptional vineyard in a natural unspoiled environment

Combebelle has well established Syrah and Grenache grapes capable of producing red and rosé wines of the highest calibre. We are in good company as nearby there are other St Chinian vineyards producing internationally recognised wines sold widely in France and exported around the world in small quantities.

Our vineyard lies on rugged rocky limestone hillsides which force the vines to search deep for moisture and nutrients, while the surface pebbles and stones warmed by the day's sun reflect heat up into the vines by night, which is important for vineyards at altitude. Combebelle has 3 distinct “terroirs” (or soil structures) of red clay, sand, and broken stone (schist). This coupled with the micro-climate of each individual “parcelle” of vineyard results in the expression of complex subtle flavours and tannins in the wines.

Combebelle’s vineyards and winery are situated in a natural, clean and unspoiled environment surrounded by “garrigue” which is full of wild flowers, plants and herbs that impart some of their flavour into our wines as well as providing natural protection against many diseases. Our neighbours are an isolated goat farm producing International Award-winning organic cheeses.

At 265-300 metres, one of the highest vineyards in St Chinian, it has dramatic views to the Mediterranean and the distant Pyrenees, and is frequented by a variety of wildlife including deer and “sangliers” (wild boar). At this altitude the vineyard is cooler and protected from the roasting summer heat in the plains below, allowing for a longer ripening period in which the grapes can absorb more of the complex characters and mature flavours of the terroir before the “vendange” (harvest) begins.

Quality is very important. Hand picking ensures that only the best grapes are used. Production volume is naturally very low (25-30hl/ha) which in turn ensures depth and refinement in the final product.

Quality winemaking

Our primary objective is to ensure we have the best quality fruit. The rosé is picked first (usually a week or two before the reds) starting with the Syrah then the Grenache picked by machine as early as possible in the morning to preserve freshness and fruit in the wine. The grapes are crushed and the juice allowed to settle for 6-12 hours between 8-10°C to ensure the fermentation does not start prematurely. Fermentation is controlled at 15-17°C to ensure the lively, fruity character of the wine is preserved.

We produce a range of red wines, some aged in tank and others aged for 12 months in barrel. Each style represents the terroir of Combebelle and the character of the grape. The lighter, fruity reds are aged in tank for 6-12 months depending on the vintage and are more approachable when young. The heavier, more complex reds are matured in barrels of varying ages to enhance the structure and longevity of the wine. Each parcelle and variety is vinified separately in tank/open fermenters using only indigenous yeasts. Fermentation temperatures range between 25-30°C which encourages extraction of flavour, fruit and tannins. We regularly pump the juice over to wet the “cap” of skins and to cool down the fermenting juice. This also aides colour extraction and increases the complexity of phenolics in the wine. The secondary fermentation (malo-lactic) can occur at the same time as the primary/alcoholic fermentation in tank or in barrel during the maturation process. After 12 months in wood, the wines are transferred back into the winery where they remain untouched for 6 months to settle before bottling in late spring/early summer.

Once the wines are ready, we start putting the blends together which is the most fun part of the winemaking process and can take several days until we are all satisfied with the final blend(s). These wines can age for 3-5 years or more in bottle.

We successfully combine modern vinification techniques with traditional practices to ensure that our wines respect their region of origin, the terroir and the grape variety itself. Our role is merely to oversee the process and to lend a helping hand in making the best possible quality wine that reflects the vintage and vineyards of Combebelle.