Clos des Centenaires

History of Clos des Centenaires

The story of Clos des Centenaires is above all one of an encounter. On one side, Luc Baudet, passionate about gastronomy since childhood, who built solid experience in the world of fine wine in France before heading to Ireland to discover the aromas of whiskey ageing in oak casks. On his return to France, he ran Château Mas Neuf for fifteen years, transforming it into a benchmark of the Costières de Nîmes appellation. On the other, Bruno François, grandson of a winegrower, trained in oenology at the Faculty of Pharmacy in Montpellier, who spent twelve years in biotechnology before returning to his roots by purchasing a ruined wine-growing estate, transformed into Château Haute Bergerade.

It was during a walk along a ridge path, in a valley nestled among centuries-old olive trees and oak trees, that a shared vision was born. The two winemakers decided to unite their estates and expertise to create a domaine faithful to this terroir between land and sea, less than two kilometres as the crow flies from the Petite Camargue Nature Reserve and twenty kilometres from the Mediterranean. Clos des Centenaires was thus born, carried by the motto "Ex iusta causa patientia natus est" — "A patience born of a just cause." Today, Stéphanie and Luc Baudet carry this heartfelt project forward, with the constant ambition of crafting sincere, profound and gastronomic wines.

Terroirs and Vines of Clos des Centenaires

The vineyard extends over an emblematic hill in Costières de Nîmes, of which approximately 7 hectares form the Clos des Centenaires proper, complemented by the 18 contiguous hectares of Château Haute Bergerade. The soil is exceptional: Villafranchian rounded pebbles shaped three million years ago by the Rhône, alluvial sands and breathable red clays resting on a deep argilo-calcareous bedrock. This geology, close to that of the great Châteauneuf-du-Pape terroirs, imparts power, depth and minerality to the wines, while the pebbles release stored heat at night to promote even ripening.

The Mediterranean climate, with its maritime influence, is another major asset. The alternation between the Mistral, the dominant northerly wind, and the south-south-westerly sea breeze from the Camargue tempers the summers and preserves the freshness of the grapes. The grape varieties planted include the great southern varietals: Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo for the reds; Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier and Vermentino for the whites. The young vines are trellised in a north-south orientation, while the old vines (Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault) are trained as bush vines in an east-west orientation, in the pure Gard tradition.

Winemaking at Clos des Centenaires

Vineyard management is resolutely oriented towards life. The Clos des Centenaires is farmed organically, without pesticides, with natural ground cover, light ploughing and particular care given to energising the soils through a biodynamic compost prepared each year. Harvesting is entirely manual, an essential condition for preserving the integrity of the grapes and enabling precise sorting. Indigenous yeasts are systematically favoured, in order to express the singularity of each plot and each vintage.

In the cellar, winemaking is conducted with restraint, following a logic of controlled extraction, to reveal fruit, roundness and freshness without seeking gratuitous power. Ageing combines oak barrels (sometimes new for prestige cuvées), foudres and tanks, with durations tailored to each variety and each cuvée. The result is a coherent range in which each wine combines supple tannins, aromatic vibrancy and a gastronomic character. This approach allows Clos des Centenaires to produce generous, fresh and digestible wines — a rare and precious signature in Costières de Nîmes.

The Cuvées of Clos des Centenaires

La Bergerie des Centenaires Rouge, AOP Costières de Nîmes: the estate's entry-level cuvée, generous and fruity. It charms with its fleshy palate of strawberry, cherry and white pepper notes, supple tannins and fine length. An approachable Costières de Nîmes, perfect for pairing with everyday Mediterranean cuisine.

La Bergerie des Centenaires Blanc, AOP Costières de Nîmes: a supple and rounded dry white, with a floral nose of peach, apricot and citrus. The palate, balanced between minerality and roundness, concludes with a fresh and thirst-quenching finish. An easy-to-pair white, ideal with fish and aperitifs.

La Bergerie des Centenaires Rosé, AOP Costières de Nîmes: a fresh and fruity Mediterranean rosé, crafted in the same approachable spirit as its counterparts. A convivial and generous expression of the Gard terroir, ideal with summer cuisine.

Clos des Centenaires Grenache Vieilles Vignes, AOP Costières de Nîmes: 100% Grenache from old vines, this red wine could make many a Châteauneuf-du-Pape blush. It develops a complex nose of cooked fruits (raspberry, morello cherry) and pepper, with a deep palate of supple tannins, concluding with a suave finish of roasted hazelnut aromas.

Clos des Centenaires Roussanne Vieilles Vignes, AOP Costières de Nîmes: 100% Roussanne from one of the oldest vine plots in the appellation. A brilliant golden robe, a nose of linden blossom and citrus enhanced by a nobly integrated oak, a palate of magnificent balance between ample texture and sapid minerality. A great gastronomic white, worthy of the finest signatures of the Rhône Valley.

Clos des Centenaires Syrah Grande Année: a single-parcel pure Syrah cuvée, with a deep robe, notes of black fruits and soft spices, extended by great persistence and exceptionally fine tannins. A fully realised expression of Syrah on rounded pebbles.

Clos des Centenaires Cinsault-Syrah, IGP Coteaux du Pont du Gard: a generous and fresh blend that marries the fruit of Cinsault with the depth of Syrah. A supple, approachable and highly drinkable cuvée.

Clos des Centenaires Cinsault, IGP Gard: 100% Cinsault, a light and crunchy red wine, the expression of a variety too often underestimated, which here reveals all its freshness and vibrant fruit.

Luxe, Calme et Volupté Rouge, IGP Gard / Pays d'Oc: a refined cuvée of strong personality, a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre. Powerful notes of black fruits, blueberry, roasting and cade juniper; a linear palate, suave texture and tightly knit tannins of great class. A wine for cellaring, to be held for at least five years to reveal its full complexity.

Luxe, Calme et Volupté Blanc: the white iteration of the eponymous cuvée, a subtle blend with a gastronomic character, extending in white the refined and profound spirit conceived by Stéphanie and Luc Baudet.

Art' Rouge, IGP Pays d'Oc: a modern and elegant cuvée, predominantly Grenache and Syrah, marked by aromas of cooked fruits, pepper and a complex palate with generous tannins. A cuvée with a refined aesthetic, conceived as a bridge between artisan viticulture and the contemporary expression of the Gard terroir.

Art' Blanc, IGP Pays d'Oc: the white version of the Art' range, subtle and aromatic, elegantly showcasing the estate's white varieties for a versatile table wine.

Mélodie en Sous-Sol, IGP Pays d'Oc: a cuvée with an original signature, bringing together the estate's grape varieties in an expressive, fresh and approachable wine. A generous composition, faithful to the gastronomic spirit of Clos des Centenaires and to the winemakers' signature.