Press Releases
Louis Bernard Moves to the Chatreuse Bonpas Estate
RHÔNE, FRANCE, September 2003 - Louis Bernard, a Southern Rhône viniculteur-éleveur,* will move its headquarters to Chartreuse de Bonpas, a 13th century estate located by the Durance River near Avignon. The property will also house a public tasting room, which is scheduled to open by the summer of 2004.
A former Carthusian Monastery, Chartreuse de Bonpas lies at the gateway to the Côtes du Rhône, as its AOC vineyards are the first encountered when traveling from the south of France. Forty-two of the estate's 136 acres are planted to Grenache and Syrah on a plateau overlooking the Durance River and facing the Luberon mountain range. Louis Bernard will offer a Grand Réserve estate wine from the property beginning with the 2003 vintage.
François Dauvergne, Louis Bernard's CEO, comments: "We love the property and are looking forward to steering this historical vineyard to the highest quality rank. Our Grand Réserve estate wine will become our flagship, demonstrating how we combine our many years of history and tradition with our forward-thinking winemaking techniques."
The name, Chartreuse de Bonpas, comes from the Latin word, Bonus Passus, meaning safe passage. Its history dates to the Roman era, when a Roman camp atop the Bonpas hill allowed watch over a valuable passage on the Durance River linking Phocea, the ancient city of Marseille, with what is now the city of Avignon. Thirteen centuries later, circa 800 AD, Charles Martel and Charlemagne founded a chapel and a hospital on the property, marking the beginning of the site's religious history. In 1160, the monks of the Order of the Hospitaliers of St. John of Jerusalem settled there, and rebuilt the chapel that welcomes visitors today. In 1318, Pope John XXII gave the monastery to the Order of the Carthusian monks, thereby creating the Chartreuse de Bonpas, whose coat of arms is still that of the founders.
Louis Bernard is proud to have secured a home rich in the history of the Rhône Valley for its brand. The company plans to protect and restore the historical integrity of the estate as it transforms it into its winery headquarters.
Louis Bernard produces a variety of whites and reds from the Côtes-du-Rhône, including offerings from the Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages, Côtes-du-Luberon, Lirac, Vacqueyras, Crozes-Hermitage, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The brand is imported by Boisset America in San Francisco, California.
