Abbaye Sylva Plana - Vignobles Bouchard

The History of Sylva Plana Abbey

Before Sylva Plana Abbey was built, it was the Romans who already exploited the land to make wine. In the Middle Ages, the Benedictine monks took over, until the Cistercian monks arrived. The monastic order dates back to the middle of the Middle Ages, as it was created in Cîteaux, Burgundy, in 1098.

The area around the Sylva Plana Abbey has in fact never ceased to be worked for the cultivation of the vines that so enjoy this beautiful setting of the Herault.

The Abbey Sylva Plana vineyard

The Abbey Sylva Plana vineyard today covers 54 hectares, mostly south-facing and laid out in contours. The climate is generally very dry throughout the year.

Rainfall is to be expected between November and April, but it remains fairly limited. The north wind beats down on the vines and provides good aeration, always beneficial for getting rid of pests. The subsoil of the Sylva Plana Abbey vineyard is composed of schist, clay-limestone and gray marble.

The Abbaye Sylva Plana estate is entirely run organically and biodynamically. It has been certified in Organic Agriculture since 2008. The oldest plots which cover 5 hectares are plowed by a horse. The weediness is limited by the plowing and not by the use of chemical inputs.

Treatments are natural, with the use of organic compost and pheromones to limit pest reproduction. Grapes are harvested and sorted by hand and yields are intentionally low, to preserve quality.

Sylva Plana Abbey's grape varieties consist of:
-for the red wine of Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and Mourvèdre ;
-for the white wine of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Vermentino and Viognier.

The wines of the Sylva Plana Abbey and the Faugères appellation

The Faugères appellation is distinguished by its schistose soil. This is the result of sand and clay deposits accumulated over millions of years at the bottom of the sea. This siliceous rock is rich in iron and aluminum.

It has cracks that allow the vines to take deep roots to draw the water they need. In addition, shale absorbs almost twice as much heat as limestone. It gives it back during the night, which has led to the saying that here, the grapes ripen at night.

The wines of the Faugères appellation of the Sylva Plana Abbey have existed in rosé and red since 1982. It was not until 2005 that they were available in white. Abbaye Sylva Plana produces six wines in the Faugères PDO: four reds, one white and one rosé.

It also offers a brandy, the Fine de Faugères, made from distilled rosé Faugères.