Would 13th Century Monk-Soldiers Have Made Vermentino?
How the Knights Templars protected Jerusalem-bound pilgrims and founded a wine estate in Provence.
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Even you?
Even me.
I want my writing to be approachable and easy. Don’t you feel like fun gets sucked out of everything lately? I’m just not into that!
I value fun too.
Surprising.
Some of you may remember the book “The Wealthy Barber”. It came out right around the time I graduated from high school. A (wealthy) barber shares financial advice with a client conversationally at the shop - a back-and-forth dialogue just like here at Shades of Grape. As a young adult, I appreciated how The Wealthy Barber was easy to read and stay focused on.
Except I’m not a client, I’m imaginary, really.
One who serves the key purpose of asking questions that may naturally occur to the reader.
But now onto the purpose of sharing the story behind today’s featured wine!
Let’s head to Provence in Southern France where their main white grape is Vermentino!
Fun! I love Vermentino.
Me too.
Shocking!
EU rules state that France is technically not allowed to use the term Vermentino because Italy protected the name by including it in a subregion.
I am surprised they have not copyrighted the word zucchini!
They may yet try!
Peyrassol, the producer of the featured wine, refer to Vermentino on their website. They, as many others, are still using the name they know and love. Rolle, a French Vermentino synonym, is the official French name. However, I have been told during winery visits in France that the French don’t love that name. They prefer Vermentino!
It has a sort of je ne sais quoi!
Agreed. I love how Peyrassol has both a rebel instinct and a super fun history. Their estate was established by the Order of the Knights Templar in the 13th century!
Okay that IS quite cool! I don’t know who those Templar guys were though.
I wondered the same thing.
Astonishing!
I learned these guys were essentially monk-soldiers! According to Britannica, they were a “religious military order of knighthood established in 1119 during the Crusades.” It started with eight or nine French knights whose purpose was to protect Christian pilgrims heading to Jerusalem. Their name comes from the lodgings given to them by Baldwin II, king of Jerusalem, in the royal palace near the former Temple of Solomon. Over two centuries time period, the Templars grew to 20,000 members.
All I can picture is A LOT of chain mail.
The habits they wore were white with a red cross.
Isn’t there a belief that they still exist? Underground maybe? I hope they still make wine!
Well, they picked good lands allowing Phillippe Austruy, the new estate owner since 2001, to make excellent wines. They are in the Côtes de Provence subregion shown in peach on the map in the center of the eastern section of lands, east of Brignoles.
The southern France wine region of Provence is west and southwest of Nice and Cannes and surrounds the city of Marseille. Côtes de Provence is known for rosé, which makes up approximately 90% of Côte de Provence wines. The remaining wines are made up of about 7% reds and 3% whites. The rosé and red main grape varieties are Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, and Tibouren. As for whites, the grapes are Rolle (Vermentino in Italy!), Sémillon, Ugni Blanc, and Clairette. Typically, all these wines are blends, including the featured white made up of 90% Vermentino, 5% Sémillon, and 5% Ugni Blanc.
Before I scroll down to read more about the featured wine … say more about Vermentino!
Vermentino is a semi-aromatic grape and is generally made in two styles. The first style is a lighter and zestier medium body wine, the second is richer, creamier, and fuller bodied. It produces wine with complex flavors and can include a subtle bitter flavor that ranges from citrus peel or pith to green or fresh almond. Additional fruit flavors can range from green fruit and citrus to stone fruit or tropical, along with engaging dried herb and saline notes.
So why did you choose a white when it is rosé all day in Provence?!
The particular wine.
This Substack revolves around recently discovered wines.
Truly.
It starts with finding a great featured wine. AND this one is great!
Sounds delicious – fill me up!
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Peyrassol ‘Les Commandeurs’ Blanc 2024, Côtes de Provence, Southern France
Style: Old World Full Body White Wine
Varieties: 90% Vermentino, 5% Sémillon, 5% Ugni Blanc
This smoothly textured dry white wine has notes of honeysuckle, tangerine, stone fruit (peach & nectarine), wet stones, and hint of herbs. It has a zippy tang that is balanced with the richness of cream, and a cheese and almond undertone. This wine has medium intensity, with a persistent finish.
Best pairings: Seafood: Grilled shrimp, scallops, or lobster with a light butter or citrus sauce, Poultry: Roast chicken or turkey, especially with an orange glaze or herb rub, Vegetables: Lightly roasted or grilled vegetables, like zucchini, bell peppers, or asparagus, Salads: Green salads with citrus vinaigrette or stone fruit additions (peaches, nectarines), Cheese & Nuts: Soft cheeses like Brie or Camembert, or a small plate with almonds.
Serving Temperature: 8 -10 degrees Celsius
Serving Tips: Enjoy
Price: ~$35 Cdn
Relevant Shades of Grape links: Keep scrolling
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LINKS TO RELEVANT PAST SHADES OF GRAPE ARTICLES:
SOURCES
Britannica, 2025a. Templars. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/summary/Templars?utm_source=chatgpt.com [Accessed 29 January 2026].
Britannica, 2025b. Templars. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Templars?utm_source=chatgpt.com [Accessed 29 January 2026].
Harding, J. and Robinson, J., 2023. The Oxford companion to wine. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Peyrassol, no date. Peyrassol. [online] Available at: https://www.peyrassol.com/en/?utm_source=chatgpt.com [Accessed 29 January 2026].
Shades of Grape, no date. Vermentino: from underrated to unforgettable. [online] Available at: https://www.shadesofgrape.ca/p/vermentino-from-underrated-to-unforgettable [Accessed 29 January 2026].
Shades of Grape, no date. Van life and vino: Paso Robles quest. [online] Available at: https://www.shadesofgrape.ca/p/van-life-and-vino-paso-robles-quest [Accessed 29 January 2026].
Vins de Provence, no date. Carte des appellations. [online] Available at: https://www.vinsdeprovence.com/en/les-appellations/carte-des-appellations [Accessed 29 January 2026].
Vins de Provence, no date. Côtes de Provence dépliant (PDF). [online] Available at: https://www.vinsdeprovence.com/files/7fd77d7f/2016_cotes_de_provence_depliant_2_volets_en.pdf [Accessed 29 January 2026].
Wine & Spirit Education Trust, 2025. D3: Wines of the World - An accompaniment to the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines. Version 1.2. London: Wine & Spirit Education Trust.
I think your writing style is fun! I sold so many cases of that wine this summer if I never see it again it won’t be soon enough! Not to say it wasn’t decent, but I am not much into Provence rosé unless I am in the south of France! And I do prefer Vermentino from France, but anything over Italian wine usually wins for me! 🫣
Your style might be a bit quirky for some but I often hear myself in the 2nd voice.
I also earned that the Knights Templar bought and managed farms and vineyards.