Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Chateauneuf-du-Pape
The 'King of the Southern Rhone', Chateauneuf-du-Pape is both prolific in its output and acclaimed for the quality of its rich, intensely fruited red and white blended wines. Located between the towns of Avignon and Orange, Grenache dominates the vineyards, and this grape performs better in Chateauneuf-du-Pape than anywhere else in France. Despite the red blends having fourteen permissible varieties, most are only bit players and the ever-present Grenache is most often joined by Syrah and Mourvedre, which add a lick of spice, structure and silky texture to the finished wines. Positioned next to the Rhone River, the soils of Chateauneuf-du-Pape are known for the galets roules, small, round rocks that reflect heat back up onto the vines, increasing ripeness and reducing acidity. Red wines dominate the production of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but the small volume of white wines, from a blend of ten permitted grape varieties, grows in popularity with each vintage.
