A balanced, ripe, soft and lovely wine, with abundant fruit (black cherry, blueberry and cassis bouquet), spiciness (white pepper and garrigue herbs and plants), mineral typicity, complex structure, rich tannins are hints that Les Bancèls will continue to evolve over a number of years.

Les Bancèls pairs with grilled red meats, game, mushroom risotto.

Les Bancèls, the terroir before the grape variety! Bancèls embodies Cébène in all its purity, in a natural way, without artifice. They create a liquid link between the place itself and the emotions that tasting them can provide. High altitude vineyard terraces facing north, deeply planted in the schist rock. A selection of Syrah on terraces and Grenache on sloping hillsides. North exposure.

Salinity, depth and purity characterise this wine, intense but delicate. Its personality, its vitality and its persistence can classify it among the references of great Languedoc wines. Very pure aromas, specific to schists. Mouth both powerful and elegant. Softness, sensuality and elegance of the tannins, present but coated.

Leaving her native Bordeaux and the employ of Jean-Luc Thunevin, for whom she was the export manager, Brigitte Chevalier settled in Faugères with the intention of starting her own estate. For years she had been drawn to the unique terroirs of Faugères and its rugged landscape hugging the Massif Central in the far northwest corner of the Languedoc. Faugères is a borderland where the gentle climate of the Mediterranean meets the wild and unpredictable weather of the
central upland of France.

"Full bottle all of 1,405 g. Certified organic. Blend of Syrah and Grenache grown on north-facing schist at 300 m and south-facing Mourvèdre. Each parcel vinified separately with ambient yeast. No sulphites added during vinification. No oak, interestingly, but aged for 12 months before bottling.
Deep crimson. Complex, confident nose that has now knit together to form a really gentle, flattering, slightly sweet amalgam. Salty and schisty and with lots of energy and finesse. Yes! A great-value bottle to have in the cellar. Persistent with a bit of liquorice. It should only get even more interesting."
17.5/20 points.
Jancis Robinson MW, jancisrobinson.com (August 2023)

"A crisp and expressive Faugères with white pepper, mulberries, sweet wild berries and grilled herbs. Medium body with bright acidity and tight, vertical tannins. Sour cherries, fine herbs and mulberries to a pure and linear finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink now."
91 points.
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (November 2022)

"The 2020 Faugeres les Bancels, a blend of Syrah from terraced vineyards and Grenache Noir from steep, north-facing slopes, exudes a pure, refined bouquet of dark berries, cherries, flowers, iris and garrigue. Medium to full-bodied, it offers a layered, ripe profile with a lively mid-palate accentuated by bright acidity. With good depth at its core and velvety tannins, it flows into a long, ethereal and mouthwatering finish. A quintessential wine from this estate, it proudly reflects the Faugères appellation and its schist soils, capturing the region’s distinct character. Drink to 2034."
92 points.
Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate (May 2025)