Ever since the Middle Ages, the passion with which the Benedictine monks
of Saint Mont Monastery patiently transformed grapes into wine has been
handed down from generation to generation giving birth to a real and
enduring love affair between man and the land.
For many years, until the arrival of André Dubosc, a local boy from a
family of three generations of winemakers, the wine produced was
destined for distillation and the production of Armagnac.
With a group of young winegrowers Dubosc set about waking up the
appellation of Saint Mont, revitalising the sweet white wines of
Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh and creating Vin de Pays dry whites (Côtes de
Gascogne).
In 1979 the three wine cooperatives of Plaisance, Aignan and Saint-Mont
in the Gers joined forces – and initials (PL for Plaisance, AI for
Aignan and MONT for Saint-Mont) – to set up a united group of
cooperatives and vineyards which became “Plaimont Producteurs” in the
Gers.
In 1999, Plaimont Producteurs were joined by the cooperatives of
Crouseilles (producing Madiran, Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh and Béarn) and
Condom (Côtes de Gascogne and Condomois).
“When founding director André Dubosq began to resurrect Saint-Mont, he insisted that the nascent appellation make stylish wines based on indigenous grape varieties. On enlêve les sabots, mais on garde le béret (we’ve
removed our clogs, but we still wear our berets!),” grinned a bereted
Étienne, summing up Plaimont’s fusion of antiquity with a dynamically
modern approach.
Saturday, July 9, 2016
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Everyone knows that the best wines come from winemakers in berets! Clogs - unimportant. Berets - essential!
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