Why Are Châteauneuf-du-Pape Wines so Popular Around the World?
As the first AOC in France, Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines are highly sought-after on a global scale. Vinatis explains the factors that have made this appellation a benchmark everywhere in the world.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape best-sellers
INTERNATIONAL CRITICS' FAVOURITE
The Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC takes its name from a small village in Vaucluse not far from Avignon. With its 3200 hectares spread over the communes of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Courthézon, Orange, Bédarrides and Sorgues, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation has quickly conquered the international press with its cuvées from an exceptional terroir. The great wine critics from all over the world come every year to taste the new vintages of this nectar of the Southern Rhône.
Robert Parker and the Wine Advocate
The famous wine critic and founder of the highly regarded 'The Wine Advocate' magazine, Robert Parker, is quoted as saying that the best wines in the world are in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The Wine Advocate is a magazine with many subscribers and a team of tasting professionals who rate wines from more than 25 countries and over 500 regions around the world out of 100. While Robert Parker has contributed greatly to the appellation's international reputation, other great wine critics such as Jeb Dunnuck, Roberto Petronio (RVF) and Joe Czerwinski (The Wine Advocate & Wine Enthusiast) have also praised the greatness of Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines!
THE FIRST AOC IN FRANCE
Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a historic appellation as it is the very first in France and therefore in Europe! Although winegrowing in this region dates back to the time of the first Greek settlers, it developed further with the presence of the popes in Avignon and the pontifical of John XXII. In the 14th century, Châteauneuf-du-Pape became the summer residence of the Papacy and it was in this way that viticulture emerged.
Baron Pierre Le Roy de Boiseaumarie was the founding father of the appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC). The entire world vineyard having been ravaged by phylloxera at the end of the 19th century, combined with the many difficulties encountered by winegrowers following the First World War, the Baron decided to form the Châteauneuf-du-Pape winegrowers' union in 1923. This union was intended to be a source of solidarity and a source of proposals in order to establish a charter aimed at ensuring quality control of the wine. It was in 1936 that Châteauneuf-du-Pape became the very first AOC in France. It was these winegrowers who laid the foundations of the current AOC system. Today, the AOCs are managed by the INAO, and Boiseaumarie was its president from 1947 to 1967.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape has built a solid reputation for quality and this AOC has inspired many other wine regions in France and around the world to develop quality products. It is not surprising that wine tourism has developed so well in this region, which has so much to tell about its wine history.
30% OF THE VINEYARDS ORGANICALLY GROWN
A little more than 30% of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyards are organically grown. It must be said that conversion is a logical step in quality control for any winegrower whose ambition is to produce a top-of-the-range product and to conquer new markets, including international ones. As consumers are becoming more and more conscious of protecting the environment and their health, the demand for organic wine continues to grow.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape is fortunate to have an ideal climate, which facilitates organic conversion. Thanks to a Mediterranean climate dried out by the Mistral, a wind that can reach up to 100 km/h, the vines flourish and the Mistral limits the development of diseases. In this sun-drenched region, even if some vintages are more complicated than others, the practice of environmentally friendly viticulture is at the heart of the appellation's priorities.
VARIED AROMATIC PALETTE
With over 300 vineyards, no two Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines are alike. Each of them is the result of precise and elaborate work by the winegrower. It is thanks to a unique and varied terroir that the winegrowers are able to put all their know-how into practice.
13 Grape Varieties Authorised in the AOC
With 13 grape varieties authorised by the AOC, it goes without saying that the aromatic palette of Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines is extremely diverse. While the most classic blend is composed of a majority of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, the famous GSM trio, several other lesser-known indigenous grape varieties can enter the blend. Since there are no rules for blending in the AOC, the range is vast. There are both single-variety and blended wines, and some of them even contain all 13 varieties!
The Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC is mainly known for its red wines, which make up nearly 93% of the volume, but white wines are increasingly sought after by wine lovers from all over the world. As with the red wines, the white wines of the appellation are either single-variety or blends of varieties such as Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Clairette, Picpoul or Picardan.
Four Types of Soil
In addition to the 13 authorised grape varieties, the Southern Rhône AOC benefits from an absolutely incredible variety of soils. Indeed, four very distinct types of soil bring different characteristics to the grape varieties that grow there. The famous pebbles bring richness and structure to the wine, the sandy plots bring freshness and finesse, while the limestone soils bring minerality, and finally the red clay allows an optimal expression of the fruit. The terroir of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a veritable playground for the winemakers. Although all the wines have in common a warm, ample character and a concentration of substance, nuances of power, fruit and finesse are brought out by the work of the winegrower, a true artist of vinification.
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