the bubble is popular among winegrowers in Jurançon.

DIn Jurançon, when it comes to wine, the name “sparkling” is controversial, and we sometimes prefer the terms “sparkling” and “mild”. In the wine world, names have meaning… often legitimately. This does not prevent the bubble from spreading in Béarn. About 25,000 bottles of wine produced by Jurançon winegrowers are put up for sale each year. At the market, prices range from 12 to 15 euros depending on the harvest. Local champagne that doesn’t live up to its name.

Sebastien and Fabrice Montesquiou were the first to try…

DIn Jurançon, when it comes to wine, the name “sparkling” is controversial, and we sometimes prefer the terms “sparkling” and “mild”. In the wine world, names have meaning… often legitimately. This does not prevent the bubble from spreading in Béarn. About 25,000 bottles of wine produced by Jurançon winegrowers are put up for sale each year. At the market, prices range from 12 to 15 euros depending on the harvest. Local champagne that doesn’t live up to its name.

Sebastien and Fabrice Montesquiou were the first to try the experiment of creating sparkling wine: “We didn’t have any special expectations, it was a test. As a precaution, we started with a very small production of 1,000 to 1,500 bottles,” recalls Sebastien Montesquiou.

In the 2000s, two brothers replanted somewhat forgotten Pyrenean grape varieties such as Petit Courbu or Camaralet on their estate. This grape is the basis of their sparkling wines.

The formula takes root from the first harvest. Fans of Jurançon wines are fascinated by this creation, born in the heart of Béarn. “The bottles from the 2008 vintage went very well. The following year, due to bad weather conditions, we were unable to offer bottles, but people asked for them again. We realized we had something,” says Sebastian Montesquiou. The first semi-dry sparkling wine goes on sale, the second extra-brut wine will expand the offer from 2016.

Various techniques

In 2024, Maxime Labasse, head of the Bellegarde estate, also located on the heights of Monen, also embarks on a brilliant adventure. “This is a project that has been in my head for a long time. I wanted to offer a holiday wine. At the moment we are in the testing phase. » This first vintage will weigh around 800 bottles.

Several technologies coexist to create these drinks. The Bellegarde estate produces wine using an ancient method. In this process, alcoholic fermentation occurs directly in the bottle.

Other winemakers, such as Sébastien and Fabrice Montesquiou, prefer to work with a service provider that specializes in creating sparkling wines. Before leaving the estate, the grapes follow Jurançon’s usual route. It is during fermentation that the fruit leaves the land of Béarnaise and is sent to a service provider located in the Gironde, Entre-de-Mer.

To make sparkling wine, natural sugars and yeast are added. The bottles return to Béarn after 18 months. Of the 50,000 bottles sold by the Montesquiou estate, between 7,000 and 10,000 are sparkling wines.

As Christmas and New Year approaches, there is a surge in sales.

In an increasingly buoyant market, many Jurançon vineyards are exploring this new niche. “We are talking about wines that are gaining popularity. More and more winegrowers are offering them. As Christmas and New Year approaches, there is a surge in sales. We have very good products with good value for money,” says Christophe Lute, oenologist at Les Vignerons du Jurançon. In about a decade, the Béarnaise bubble has become a favorite destination in the wine world.

New trend

In the former stronghold of King Henry IV, sparkling wine remains a niche production. Sweet wines, which have long been consumer favorites, are less popular than in the past, unlike dry wines, which continue to enjoy good popularity.

Professionals starting the production of sparkling wines first of all strive to diversify their offer. This is a boon for winemakers, who typically have to deal with falling consumption coupled with climate hazards. Let us remind you that in 2023, the winegrowers of Jurançon lost almost 50% of their harvest due to the mildew epidemic. At the beginning of the year, the emergency fund for winegrowers allocated 260,000 euros to professionals in the Atlantic Pyrenees. An additional 160,000 envelope was also issued in March last year.

However, these new wines cannot benefit from the Jurançon appellation, unlike the sweet and dry wines that have made the region’s reputation. “Productions are not large enough. For a name like ours, the characteristics are essential. There will undoubtedly be too many restrictions,” says Sebastien Montesquiou.