There is something undeniably romantic about grapes being harvested by hand in the beautiful sunlight of a late summer day.  The timing of the harvest has shifted forward of late  (from early-October to early September and I was delighted to see it was underway onmy recent visit to Chateauneuf du Pape.

Chateauneuf du Papa takes its name from the time when the poppies were in Avignon.  The first popes, Clement V and Jean XII were interested in wine and planted and improved viticultural practices.  Many of the original papal vineyards were destroyed by phylloxera in 1866 and it took a while before replanting took place although today many of the vines date from over 100 years ago. The appellation was created in 1936 allowing growers in Chateauneuf du Pate and parts of Orange, Courthezon, Sorgues and Beddarides to sell wines under the designation. A blend of 15 different grape varieties are allowed and the grape varieties selected vary by domaine: some may opt only for Grenache while other use up to 6-8 different grapes in their wines.  Varieties found in the reds include: Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Vaccarèse, Terret, Counoise, Muscardin.

95% of the wines are red but 5% are a very delicious white of extracted from a selection of white grapes grown in the region:  Grenache, Roussanne, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Picardan, Picpoul..

There are numerous old vines in this wine region, some of the oldest in France. The soils, a combination or rocks, stone, sand limestone and clay would be poor for most growing but are perfect for the grapes grown in the appellation.  The sunny windy summer weather is a god-send and enables bio-dynamic wine-making

While there are difference in the grape varieties, the wines share the characteristic notes of fresh red and black cherries, raspberries and black pepper.  The majority of the wines (red or white) are very drinkable young. They do not need to be aged, but the reds can be cellared and enjoyed many years later in addition to a very special white, Beaucastel Vieille Vignes which can be cellared for decades.

After a fine lunch at La Mere Germaine in town, we started our tour of three of the best vineyards of the appellation

Our first stop was the beautiful Chateau de Nerthe,  a great terroir, and a a very pretty domaine,  nestled among majestic plane trees and hundred-year-old pines, where vines have been planted since the Romans.  The vineyard with one of the longest histories, it was bought by the Tulle de Villegranche family in 1590, who were tireless travelers and ambassadors for their wines, ensuring it graced the best tables in France, Europe, and even in North America from 1786! Walking around the domaine was a delight, with its beautiful views and elegant architecture and the tasting was cheerful and enthusiastic, if a little short on information, although the wines 2021 and 2020 were excellent and said to be able to be cellared for 15+ years.   

One cannot think of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, without thinking of Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe and their fine. complex. powerful wines elaborated from old vines. Managed by the Brunier family since 1891 the vineyard is located on a stony plateau called La Crau, one of the highest points between Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Bédarridesl where there was once a telegraph tower.  The house manages a few labels, notably the Vieux Telegraph which is made solely of old-vine fruit from La Crau, filtered naturally giving the wine its elegant structure of rich earthiness and a fresh mineralogy. Following the destructive floods of 2002, they created the second label known as “Télégramme,” made with grapes from the younger vines, which offers a more accessible wine with an elegance and velvety texture in contrast to the earthy, deeply structured style of Vieux Télégraphe.  We sampled both and found them both excellent.

Last we visited Chateau Mont Redon, the biggest estate, located in the Northwest of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation and enjoyed their wines in an  attractive tasting room in a very pretty domaine with lovely views of the vineyards. A terroir originally belonging to the papal court, the property was owned by Anselme Mathieu, a celebrated Félibre (writer in Provencal) and was purchased decades after the phylloxera crisis by Henri Plantin in 1923 who gave the vineyard the name Mont-REdon and started replanting the wines many of which are now almost 100 years old. Known for a wider use of the permitted grape varieties than other estates their red is made from: Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Counoise, Muscardin & Vaccarèse; the white is from Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Roussanne, Picpoul & Bourboulenc. After tasting their white and red Chateauneuf du Pape we had the privilege to taste the 2017 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Le Plateau,  made exclusively from old vines (63% Grenache, 31 % Syrah and 6% Mourvèdre. It is a very fine wine and a privilege to enjoy. Tasing 7 days a week except for holidays and closed Sundays’s in the off-season.