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Châteauneuf-du-Pape is one of the most famous French wines in the world. And its notoriety and allure stems from its strong ties to the Catholic Church during a time when the Papacy was located in France, not Rome.
In 1308, Bertrand de Got, a French bishop, was elected Pope Clement V. Concerned about security in Rome, Pope Clement V moved the papacy to Avignon, a city in France’s Rhone Valley. For the next 70 years, seven popes governed the church from Avignon. The Avignon popes were great supporters of the local wine, known as “Vin du Pape”. Pope John XII even built a summer residence just north of Avignon. This castle, called Châteauneuf-du-Pape, was a symbol of the appellation and, over time, the nearby village and the wine produced there became known by the same name.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape is located nine miles North of Avignon in the Southern Rhone Valley of France. The Rhone River and Mount Ventoux, which is famed for being one of the most difficult sections of the Tour de France, border the region.
The soil in Châteauneuf-du-Pape is covered with galets, round rocks that were rolled and smoothed by the Rhone River. These aren’t pebbles, though – some are as large as footballs. The stones radiate heat from the sun aiding in the ripening of the grapes creating powerful, age-worthy wines
