SIPPING CHÂTEAU ROUBINE ROSÉ, THINKING OF KNIGHTS TEMPLAR (AND, OKAY, DAN BROWN)

This group was founded by two French knights for the express purpose of protecting the passage of Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land. After the First Crusade (1099) opened Jerusalem to Christians, the route there was still fraught with danger. They successfully protected Christian travelers from bandits (and worse) for many years and eventually established themselves across the land as fierce warriors. The Order was recognized by Pope Honorius II in 1129 and, in addition to their military duties, they took vows of chastity, obedience, and poverty. Originally called “The Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple which is in Jerusalem,” they relinquished their worldly goods to the Order which gradually amassed a huge amount of money which led to their development of a large and sophisticated banking system.Over the course of 200 years, their power and influence grew and would be their downfall. They owned much land in Europe and the Middle East, built large castles and churches and also oversaw farms and vineyards—such as the property that is now Château Roubine. It has been said that the Knights Templar was the “world’s first multinational corporation.”

By the time the world entered the 1300s, Christian control of the Middle East had clearly eroded and, with it, the military role of the Templars. But, the Templars still wielded much power through their vast network of businesses and extensive banking system. Because they did not owe any allegiance to a given country, they unnerved those that were in power such as King Philip IV of France who was also in great debt to the Templars.

In 1307, King Philip ordered the simultaneous arrest of many of the Templar knights and charged them with a long list of offenses: Satanism, idolatry, heresy, “unnatural acts,” obscene rituals, financial corruption, and secrecy. Although the charges were likely entirely fabricated, under torture, many of the Templars falsely confessed and were burned at the stake. Pope Clement V attempted to intervene but eventually acquiesced to the King and dissolved the Order.

Martyr Molay…1314, Jacques de Molay (c. 1244 – 1314), the 23rd and Last GrandMaster of the Knights Templar, is lead to the stake to burn for heresy. He is shouting to Pope Clement and King Philip that they will face a tribunal with God’ within a year. They both died soon. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

In 1314, The Grand Master of the Templars and several other officers were burned alive at the stake in front of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Legend has it that, as the flames rose up around Grand Master Jacques de Molay, he shouted out to Pope Clement and King Philip that “God knows who is wrong and has sinned. Soon a calamity will occur to those who have condemned us to death.” Both men died within the year.

In 2001, documents in the Vatican were discovered that revealed that Pope Clement had been pressured to support the King (who was apparently a relative). Dated 1308 and known as the “Chinon Parchment,” it stated that the Pope had absolved the Templars of the charges. Another 1308 Chinon Parchment, known about as early as 1693, said that all the Templars who falsely confessed to the fabricated charges were “restored to the Sacraments and to the unity of the Church.” Today, the Roman Catholic Church, states that the persecution was unjust.

The demise of Knights Templar, coupled with the “dispersion” their huge cache of treasures and money naturally set the stage for the legends that ensued, most notably their alleged possession of the Holy Grail and the existence of a secret society that some say has prevailed to this day.

Dan Brown, of course, is not the only author to spin tales about the Knights Templar. Ivanhoe and Foucault’s Pendulum are two other well-known novels and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and National Treasure are two well-known movies.

Photo by Pamela O’Neill

Château Roubine does not need to spin tales to capture to the imagination of those who try their rosé. As one of the oldest wineries in France, the château rests on the land once owned by the Knights Templar. In 1307, as the Order was being dissolved, the château was given to the Order of Saint Jean of Jerusalem. Because the property is not far from the Roman road, Julian Way, it is likely that vineyards were there much earlier than the 14th century. Today, the château is owned by French fencing champion Philippe Riboud and his wife Valérie Rousselle who oversees the wine production.