In Saint-Chinian, near Béziers, the walls of the winery are decorated by guest artists, of these works the labels and the wine D.O.P. Saint-Chinian are carried out, a limited edition production of six thousand bottles per artist. L’Art in Cave® associates art and wine in an industrial environ-ment.

Yves Borel and Norbert Gaiola innovated the concept in 2013, the winery dating back to 1937 was very battered, so they thought to invite artists to cover the walls with a fresco under the theme The universe of the vineyard and wine. Year after year, they make a new creation of one or two artists, this idea has been so successful that it has won several awards: The National Wine Tourism Competition in the Cooperative Winery in the category Evènements, Animations, the Marketing Prize, the Special Jury Prize In The Vincœurs Contest L’hérault and the Prize Of The Artistic Initiative Trophées de l’Entrepreneuriat in south L’hérault.

Christian H, is the first to cover the winery in 2013, expressing his art and making the first fresco in cuve. His work expresses the colors and light of the region, as well as the landscape of the vineyards. The wine is from 2012, with Syrah, Grenache and Carignan grapes, inspired by sensuality, can be preserved for up to 10 years. It is recommended to pair with quails stuffed of raisins marinated in Armagnac, Guinea fowl or lamb back.

The second edition in 2014, was made by Miss Tic, queen of Street Art in France. Du vin pour une vie sans pépin was the fresco name. In the wine you can perceive intense notes with pleasant smells of the Mediterranean. Grenache noir and Syrah from 2012, can be preserved for 15 years, perfect gastronomic alliance with roasted quail, piglet or beef stew.

 

 

 

 

In 2015, Aurel with a touch of humor was the main protagonist when designing a 7 meters work that encompasses three wineries of the cooperative, for the artist it was a challenge since his experience is comics, graphic reports and animations in cinema. In the wine we can perceive the fruits of the vineyards: Syrah, Carignan and Grenache of 2013.

Two frescos were created of the Alma project in 2016, by Anthony Lemer, painter revelation of Graffiti and Street Art, and Arnaud Montagard, a globetrotting photographer. The work symbolizes the international expansion of the Saint-Chinian winery and the energy of the house. The second fresco created by Michel Nadaï, France’s best painter in the trompe-l’eoil technique, represents The Dance of the Maenads, a celebration of the ancient and modern history of the region and its wine.

For 2017, two creators: Kashink, artist of Street Art & Graffiti offers the work  In vino veritas. Cuvée of the year 2016, white Grenache, Vermentino and Roussanne grapes represents the exceptional terroir of Saint Chinian. Yz, an artist who uses the ancient Chinese technique of gouache, works with gradients of dark to light colors. The wine of the year 2015, is made with Syrah, Grenache and Carignan.

For 2018, Jean Bastide, designer of the “Boule & Bill” comic since 2016, illustrates the winery next to Bocaj, who represent the beauty of the female body in acrylic and bright colors. The wine of the same year was created with typical Languedoc grapes: Carignan, Grenache and Syrah leaves us with a sense of frying.

For this year 2019 L’Art in Cave® was represented by two artists: The first is Laura Chaplin, granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin, brings together in this work the three themes that make her vibrate: horses, female silhouettes and Charlot. This work agrees very well with the wine of the year 2017, the Grenache grape was placed in barrel for 12 months. The second is Éric Fleury, an artist who make laugh and reflect at the same time can capture different techniques and materials: children’s images, naive, fun. The wine of grape Syrah of the year 2017, with aromas of cassis and violet blends wonderfully with the artist’s work

In the first quarter of 2020, the winery will be open to the public throughout the year, by appointment, so that visitors and buyers can appreciate the frescos and enjoy an atmosphere of contemporary art in the vineyard.  

 

SPECIFICACIONS

 

Name of the wine:

Cuvée Sant Chinian.

 

Classification:

A.O.P. Saint- Chinian.

 

Appearance:

Intense red color with ruby highlights.

 

Aroma:

Notes of ripe fruits, cassis, violet, Mediterranean perfumes, spices, pepper and woody.

 

Taste:

Elegant full-bodied, mineral freshness.

 

Varieties:

Syrah, Carignan, Grenache, Vermentino,  Roussanne.

 

Aging:

12 to 18 months in French oak barrels.

 

Pairing:

Ideal with quails, suckling pig, parmesan oysters, old cantal.

 

 

 

Text: Mónica Sánchez Miguel ± Photo: HD FONDOS / PX HERE / MARCO VALENTINI