Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The planting of vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape dates back to Roman times. In those days, the area was known as Châteauneuf. The Pope suffix was added after the Pope moved to Avignon following his conflict with the King of France in 1309. 8 Popes subsequently stayed in this commune and planted vines here. The region was not officially named " Châteauneuf-du-Pape " until 1893, while the institution of this 1st French wine AOC dates back to 1937. Here's a look at the terroir of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation and the best producers in the area

History and terroir of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation

This wine-growing region in the Rhône Valley in the Vaucluse department covers around 3,200 hectares. The town of Orange and its Roman ruins form the northern boundary. To the south, it is defined by the town of Sorgues, to the east by the main A7 road and to the west by the Rhône. In 2014, there were 320 active estate owners in this appellation. around 250 of them are responsible for bottling and selling their own wines. The rest sell their harvest to merchants or cooperatives. 93% of the vineyards produce red wines. Most of the estates are small, with a few exceptions such as Mont Redon, which has 100 hectares of vineyards. There are only 24 winegrowers with vineyards of 30 hectares. The appellation was created in 1937 and is divided into 5 communes: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which is the largest, Orange, Courthezon, Sorgues and Bédarrides. Each of these 5 communes is divided into 134 different lieux-dits.
The terroirs of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC are made up of pebbles, limestone, red sandstone, red clay, sand and saffron. Variations in the drainage capacity of the soils, their mineral composition and differences in vinification principles produce different accents in the wines. 13 grape varieties make up this appellation, including grenache, syrah, mourvèdre and terret noir

Our selection of the best wine producers in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation