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Domain: Château Prieuré du Monastir del Camp

This château has been a classified Historical Monument since 1826. It is in the very heart of Catalan country, on the marvellous Passa terroir, near the vins doux naturels capital: Thuir. Legend has it that it was founded by Charlemagne in 785 on his return from the battle of Panissars against the Saracens, hence the name of "Monastère du Camp": the soldiers from Charlemagne's camp were said to have been seeking a good water spring, and the priory was built on this exact spot at the request of the future king, in honour of the Virgin Mary. The oldest surviving building appears to date from the 9th century, however, and the current church – a jewel of Roman architecture – was built between 1090 and 1116. In 1786, the site was sold by Louis XVI to the Jaubert family from Passa, who still own it to this day. This was when the château started to produce wine, specialising from the outset in vins doux naturels. The vast majority of the wines produced here are intended for sale in Paris and its surrounding region; they are transported mainly by boat via Port-Vendres, sometimes (but rarely) by road, and – since the late 19th century – by train. From the First World War onwards, these famous wines were sold to the great négociants of Banyuls (Bartissol, Rivesaltes, Dauré) and Thuir (Cusenier). Following the Second World War, the father of the existing owner decided to keep back a small quantity (between 7 and 12 hectolitres) of each vintage. Once harvesting was completed, the reserve wine was stored in oak foudre and demi-muid vats, a practice which continued until the start of this century. Rediscovered by the young generation, duly examined by experts and authenticated, these wines were then bottled using modern techniques at the start of the twenty-first century. They now form a unique historical collection of marvellous wines with an aromatic palette reminiscent of the glory days of the Rivesaltes AOC in the mid-twentieth century.