Sébastien Philibert: A Return to Origins

Sébastien Philibert joined Château de Calavon and the Jas des Papes estate in 2016. A fifth-generation member of a family of winemakers, his career has taken him from the Drôme Provençale to the vineyards of Cahors, via the Charentes-Maritimes region.

Meet a passionate winemaker!

“The legacy of Calavon and the Jas des Papes humbles me.”

It is with a touch of sadness that Sébastien recalls Michel Audibert, the vineyard’s owner, who passed away last year. “He was a visionary and dedicated winemaker who did a great deal to promote Provence red wines. He spent a long time searching for vineyards in Châteauneuf to create this connection between two beautiful red wine terroirs.”

For Sébastien, arriving at Calavon and Jas des Papes marks the beginning of his third chapter as a winemaker. “Michel Audibert gave me the opportunity to continue, to expand, and to deepen my knowledge. We had a very strong bond, almost like that of a father and son. It was a true passing of the torch. He asked me to lead Calavon and Jas des Papes toward excellence. ” Deeply connected to the terroir, Sébastien quickly discovered its unique characteristics, strengths, and pitfalls to avoid. While he spends most of his time in the vineyards, his passion lies primarily in the work in the cellar. Not to mention the olive trees he is currently cultivating at Calavon. “We replanted some this year; we now have 12 hectares, and eventually, we’d like to produce table olives for our customers and even have our own mill.”

Soil management contributes to the quality of the wine. 80% of the wine is made in the vineyard.

Calavon is a somewhat capricious, unique terroir with a microclimate that must be taken seriously. The harvest begins very early and lasts 6 to 7 weeks. “We have a wide variety of terroirs, ranging from deep sandy-clay soils to shallow, stony slopes. While this diversity offers great complexity, it demands a great deal of observation and humility. What works one year doesn’t necessarily work the next. And with climate change, we have to manage each plot individually, whether it’s tilling, treatments, or irrigation.”

Another distinctive feature is that the vineyard includes 11 hectares of Carignan, which the Audibert family has always lovingly tended. “It’s a grape variety that has been maligned, but I really love it. I’ve been working with it for a long time. Today, we’re getting sensational results. After the craze for Syrah and Grenache, we’re realizing that this is a grape variety that has its place because it ripens early, and we can harvest it when fully ripe. That’s important for the years ahead, with global warming.”

Mass selections

This is a subject close to his heart, one that has always been a part of Sébastien’s family. “My father did a lot of it; my grandmother was passionate about grafting and always selected apricot trees, olive trees, and grapevines. She designed her own rootstock plans because there were no regulations at the time. ” For Sébastien, the goal is to preserve the vine stock and maintain consistency in the wines. Clonal selection gradually leads to standardization. Today, there are yields and alcohol levels, but a loss of distinctiveness: “we’re moving toward standard wines.” That’s where mass selection comes into its own. When we select the best vines, we go beyond the existing stock.

“At Jas des Papes, we’re still searching…”

When asked how he manages two estates as different as Calavon and Le Jas des Papes, Sébastien explains how they complement each other and the connections he has forged between them, particularly through their shared grape varieties. Even though the winemaking processes and the wines’ distinct characteristics are very different. The Syrahs from the hillsides of Aix and those from Châteauneuf are worlds apart. Syrah performs better in Châteauneuf, offering more freshness.

“Châteauneuf is a terroir I know quite well. It’s a bit like going back to my roots for me; I used to have vineyards on hillsides and plateaus with lots of pebbles, so I know how complex it is to work with this type of soil. On a half-hectare plot, you can find three, four, or even five different terroirs, which requires a lot of organization for the harvest. But you realize that once the wine is in the tank, you find the same character you tasted in the vineyard. The Châteauneuf terroir is truly very expressive, and there’s a deep, historical connection between the terroir and the finished product. The deep soils produce smooth, silky wines that you won’t find in the south. I’m also discovering the quirks of the appellation. But I’m lucky to have someone on site who makes the wine and supports me well.”

This beautiful terroir, located in the eastern part of the appellation, produces fruit-forward, well-structured wines with very fine tannins that develop a lovely elegance after aging in oak. And even though the team still considers itself to be in an exploratory phase, the first vintages already hint at the true, promising identity of Jas des Papes wines.

Discover Sébastien’s wines from Domaine de Calavon and Jas des Papes on Les Grappes