Abraxas in British (əˈbræksəs) or abrasax (əˈbræsəks)
“an ancient charm composed of Greek letters: originally believed to have magical powers and inscribed on amulets, etc, but from the second century AD personified by Gnostics as a deity, the source of divine emanations” (Collins English Dictionary).
Bijou Abraxas Cuvée Exceptionnelle is produced in a single vineyard and the grapes are grown in specially selected, low-yielding parcels in order to increase concentration and overall quality of the wine. The wine undergoes maceration on the skins for 1 month before malolactic fermentation takes place in tank to create a rich and creamy texture. The wine is then aged for 12 months in French oak barrels to give a subtle and spicy flavour. Bijou Abraxas is made to last and will develop more dried fruit characteristics over the next 3 to 5 years.
Coincidentally, Abraxas is also the name of Santana’s pioneering album in the early 1970’s and featured hits such as Samba Pa Ti and Black Magic Woman.
The terroir of the domain is made up of pebbles or ‘Gress’ as this soil type is locally referred to in the region. These rolled stones were deposited by the Rhone and Duress rivers millions of years ago and absorb the heat of the sun during the day, helping to maintain a constant temperature in the vines overnight. The mistral (strong northwesterly wind that blows from Southern France into the Gulf of Lion) also helps maintain cooler temperatures in the vineyard. Our growers adhere to sustainable agriculture and are ‘TerraVitis’ certified.
Winemaker Elise Bosse-Platière comments “We do our upmost to protect the environment and we are very conscious of the importance of sustainable agriculture in the industry of wine production. Where possible we use natural products to tend to our vines and we strive to reduce our energy consumption and wastage at the winery.”
Abraxas is our flagship wine of the Bijou range and is a premium blend of native grape varieties from the Southern Rhone wine region in France. For more information please get in touch.
