Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Chateauneuf-du-Pape is a wine of place. Like so many of France’s finest wines, it is a product of unique conditions of soil, climate, and culture. The village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape takes its name from the long ago abandoned papal palace a few miles north of Avignon. The presence of the Pope at various intervals surely necessitated a supply of good wine for occasions religious and social. The wine takes its name from the village and the ruined papal palace.

In the heart of the Southern Rhone river region, Chateauneuf-du-Pape and its neighbors (Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Lirac, and Tavel to name a few) “enjoy” some of France’s most extreme weather. This is the home of the famous Mistral wind and profound late summer heat. The soil types of the tiny (about 4x6 miles) region vary greatly, but the region is famous for the “galet” which cover a number of famous vineyards. These large round stones are several layers deep in many vineyards. In some places no soil is visible. In spite of the apparent hardships of managing such land, these sites have been known for wine since Roman times. In fact, the region is a remarkable repository for structures built about 2,000 years ago.

American consumers, with our fascination for wines named for grape types (Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir) are often puzzled by Chateauneuf-du-Pape’s varietal complexity. The grape types for the wines of the region are regulated by law, but not to a single grape, or two, or five, but to a rather overwhelming thirteen traditional types. The most commonly planted is Grenache followed by Mourvedre and Syrah (yes this is similar to what the Aussies call Shiraz). Although these three red grapes comprise a hefty portion of the production of the region, others such as Cinsault, Counoise, Picpoul, and even certain white grapes are used in varying amounts at different estates. Although the appellation (controlled place name) is tiny the variation in grape combinations, soil type, and even vinification methods are many, and significant.

The wines of the most famous estates are rich, heavy, and long-lived. The fruit is usually harvested at high sugar levels. Since this sugar is converted during fermentation (until virtually dry) the resulting wines are high in alcohol, often exceeding 14%. This is quite unusual for the wines of France, which more commonly range from 11% to 13%. Long exposure to the skins in the fermenting tanks extracts deep color and a spectrum of heavier compounds giving the wines richness and potency in youth. With age, the heavier Chateauneuf-du-Papes temper into complex, spicy, and sometimes surprisingly fruity gems. The biggest wines of estates such as Chateau de Beaucastel and Vieux Telegraphe (to name just two occasionally found in Greenville) are among the great “collectables” of French wine, often selling for $50-$100, to be consumed and enjoyed on great occasions after patient cellaring.

However, a modern, grapier, more approachable Chateaneuf-du-Pape style is in ascendancy. This is logical enough. Most consumers, here or in Europe, are not buying wine to enjoy a decade from now. Most are buying for today, or perhaps for the next weekend. Many large shipping firms and new producers are providing wines that have the expected depth of color, and even the higher alcohol, but replace the tannic strength with an extra fruit component. These wines will usually sell for $20-$30 and be blessedly ready to drink. In fact, it is safe to assume that most wines of the region selling for much under $30 are to be drunk soon and will pale and lose their charm with time in the bottle.

Middle ground exists. The excellent wines of Jerome Quoit, readily available in our area, are extremely pleasant in their youth, bone dry with an abundance of pleasant fruit flavor. These wines will also age well for those who enjoy revisiting a well-known friend from time to time. The two labels to look for are Domaine Vieux Lazaret and Domaine Duclaux. Vieux Lazaret, the smoother of the two, is usually under $25 with a reserve edition occasionally available for a few dollars more. Duclaux is more spicy and concentrated and sells for a little more. Oh yes, by the way, Vieux Lazaret makes a bit of excellent white wine as well, crisp and dry.

All producers in Chateauneuf-du-Pape were blessed with four fine vintages in a row, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001. There is still plenty of fine wine from these vintages to be had!

9/04

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Originally published in "The Greenville Journal", April 26 - May 2, 2002 in "From The Vine" column, author, Richard deBondt.