Châteauneuf-Du-Pape: the jewel of Rhône Valley.

We are back dear friends! And today we will talk about a very special appellation, one that has generated many questions in our last events. So here we go...

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the most famous wine in the southern Rhône Valley, one of the hottest wine regions in France. There you will find wines with wonderfully warm and spicy aromas such as cinnamon, cloves, and freshly roasted coffee. The large, round stones which are characteristic of the area, have the ability to catch the heat from the sun during the day and keep the vines warm late into the night. Being so famous means that Châteauneuf-du-Pape has a lot to live up to. I can't even think of other wine regions in France that have a name so associated with history and old traditions. The wine is forever linked with the popes in Avignon. Curiously, although the appellation name means “the pope's new castle", it does not allude to the papal palace meaning that the town was already called Châteauneuf when the popes arrived. In 1893 the villagers, realizing the marketing potential of the name, cleverly added “du-Pape” to the name. Nowadays the enormous papal palace in Avignon stands as one of France's major attractions. It was built in the 14th century and resembles a fortress rather than a castle but it still has graceful lines. This was during the Avignon Papacy when the Pope(s) lived in Avignon, not in Rome. All because French King Philip IV maneuvered the election of a Frenchman, Clement V to the papacy. Hence that this new pope wouldn't be too popular in Rome and decided to move to Avignon. The castle was built for his successor Pope John XXII, considered the creator of the appellation. After the Great Schism of the Catholic church in 1378 the antipope Clement VII moved back to the castle for his own protection. This was the beginning of an interesting four decade period when there were two Popes - one in Rome and one in Avignon.

At the end of 14th century the wines of Burgundy were more likely served to the pontiff, but things quickly changed when the pope familiarized himself with the Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah blends from Avignon's most revered hillside vineyards.

The Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation covers about 3200 hectares with around 320 growers. The climate is warm; the soil is poor and largely covered with large rolling stones that attract heat. Certain areas such as the one of famous Château Rayas has a different soil, with a fine gravel. Some vineyards have limestone and everywhere humid clay is found a little bit deeper down, helping the roots to stay cool during the hot summer months.

Several grape varieties are used to produce a Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Grenache is largely dominant, a perfect grape for this warm and dry climate with violent mistral winds. It is blended in different proportions with Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Counoise, Vaccarèse, Terret and a few others. Around 90 % of the wines are red. The 10% of whites is well worth looking for, they are simply delicious. Another key characteristic to talk about is the bottle, commonly adorned with the papal keys. In a judgment delivered on 21 September 2004, the French Supreme Court confirmed the validity of the rights attached to this special embossed bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Because of global competition, theft and counterfeiting rage it is a major asset for Chateauneuf-du-Pape to have a collective brand with a strong identity and indisputable legal protection.

In my modest opinion, apart from the history of it, the mystery behind the blend is what truly makes wines from Châteauneuf so special. Most of the blends are dominated by the plum, raspberry, and subtle red fruit notes of the Grenache. The herbal flavor that is attributed to the very specific Rhône terroir found in the area is also very prominent. Some producers may even include white grapes in their red blends in order to maintain freshness and acidity, especially when warmer growing seasons cause higher sugar levels in red grapes that lead to higher alcohol levels.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is always a great option for those very special occasions. It is not just a wine with an iconic bottle and an intriguing blend. It also represents a region with a historic past that has played a massive role in the creation of other modern quality wines around the world.

And that is a wrap! See you next Wednesday!