Perhaps one of the most evocative and familiar wine names in France, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a byword for full-bodied, quality, red wines, enthuses Simon Jones.
Situated in the southern Rhône Valley in southeastern France, the recognition of this historic region dates back to the 1300s when Pope Clement V relocated from Bordeaux to Avignon, at the southern end of the region, and built a new castle (or Châteauneuf – the remains of which are pictured above). In 1923 Châteauneuf-du-Pape became the first region to introduce a quality assurance programme that became the prototype for the AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) system which has been adopted across the whole country and more widely. Famous for allowing 13 different grape varieties to be used, the reds are usually a base of Grenache Noir with Syrah and Mourvèdre, the rest providing a palette for the winemakers and mother nature, to stamp their individuality on the wines.
In the last 30 years, the wines have gone from strength to strength, becoming far more refined and elegant. Today, the best wines are a match for anything produced across the globe. Producers, such as the Bruniers at Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe; the Perrins at Château de Beaucastel and the Girauds at Domaine Giraud, are highly regarded globally. Télégramme is the Brunier family’s entry into their range of Châteauneufs, made from young vines and anything that didn’t quite make the cut for the top wines. It gives an essence of the excellent wines produced here. At Domaine Giraud, Marie and her brother François, produce wines on a smaller scale, all produced organically with great care. Their Cuvée Les Galimardes comes from an eight-hectare plot in a single piece, unusual in this part of the world, their Grenache vines are over 100 years old producing small yields with incredible intensity. Their more famous near neighbours at Château de Beaucastel look after 110 ha putting them in a different league, but here too they farm following organic methods and manage to produce some of the finest wines found in the region. Their Coudoulet de Beaucastel, a humble Côtes du Rhône, comes from 30 ha of vines just to the east of Châteauneuf with very similar soils and is often dubbed “baby Beaucastel”.
