The Chateauneuf du Pape wine region has not always been famous for it's
wines, in fact it was even more famous for it's visitors. As far back as the
fourteenth century, this region in the Southern Rhone Valley was the
summer home of the Pope. That's right, I said the Pope. And it wasn't
just one Pope either. Seven successive Pope's made this region their
summer home. It was also these seven Pope's that encouraged the wine
production and vineyard expansion in the region, thereby shaping a place
that would later become known as "Chateauneuf du Pape". The literal
translation of this French name is "New House of the Pope"and it
became an official French AOC Appellation in 1936. The first Pope to
build his chateau in this region was Pope Jean XXII of Avignon in 1320.
Now unlike most wines that are made up primarily of just one grape
varietal with maybe just a little of another grape added in small amounts
to add complexity, Chateauneuf du Pape wines are always a wine blend. I
would go as far to say that Chateauneuf du Pape wines are the "Mother"
of all wine blends. Where as in a typical Bordeaux style blend, you may
find up to five different grape varietals, a format which is repeated in
almost every other wine producing country in the world, the Chateauneuf
du Pape wine blend can include up to thirteen permitted grape varieties.
These thirteen grape varieties include; Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre,
Cinsault, Muscardin, Cournoise, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Picpoul,
Roussanne, Terret Noir, Picardan, and Vaccarese. Even though it is a
red wine, not all of those grape varieties listed above are red,
Bourboulenc and Roussanne, most notably, are white wine grapes as well
as Clairette and Picardin. Despite being allowed to use all of these grape
varieties, winemakers usually stick to mostly Grenache as the main grape
with Syrah and Mouvedre as the next two highest percentages of the
blend. After that, it is up to the Chateau's preferred style as to what
other grapes go in the blend.
It is not only the amount of grape varietals allowed in the blend that make
these wines so unusual, it is also the soil and climate the grapevines are
grown in. The wine region is located in the south of France and enjoys
some of the sunnier weather that France receives throughout the year.
Normally after the summer sun goes down, the temperatures in the
vineyard decrease dramatically, however, this is not the case in
Chateauneuf du Pape region. The reason for this is because of all the
large round quartz stones that are mixed in with the sandy red clay.
These stones absorb all of the heat from the sun during the day and
release this heat at night when the sun goes down. This translates into a
climate that ripens grapes faster.
A great deal of the red wines produced throughout the entire Rhone
Valley are built for long-term aging and indeed, Chateauneuf du Pape
wines are no exception. They may often be held onto in good vintages for
up to twenty years. However, unlike many of its red wine counterparts
from the Northern Rhone regions, Chateauneuf du Pape wines are fruity
and fresh enough to be enjoyed young as well. The only frustrating thing
I see one might encounter with them is their obvious versatility. I say
obvious because you are never entirely sure which grape varieties are
used in the blend and just because you fancy one Chateau's style doesn't
mean you will like another. This also makes it tough to pin down the
appropriate food items to pair with a Chateauneuf du Pape wine. There
are some general food items that are a sure thing, mainly cheeses and
wild game meats of a darker and or more exotic flavor profile.
A typical nose on a Chateauneuf du Pape wine is likely to show a complex
bouquet of red fruits, leather, aniseed, liquorice and spices. On the palate
they tend to be spicy, dense and rich, all of which are characteristics that
are implied by a warm climate. One thing is for sure, they certainly are
unique wines. If you don't like the first one you try, don't shy away from
trying another one. I remember tasting one for the first time and not
caring that much for it. I went a couple of years before I had another one
again and the second time around I became fascinated in the wine. After
our Chateauneuf du Pape staff tasting, another thing became crystal clear
to me, and that is that the wines that came from better vintages were
clearly the best wines. The wines from lesser vintages did not perform
well at all. Recent good vintages would include 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003 &
2004. Avoid at all costs the 2002 vintage as it was a real stinker.
Life is an adventure and so are Chateauneuf du Pape wines. If you are
new to drinking them, you never know what your are going to get. It is
true that many of the great ones are expensive, I believe the top end hits
the $70.00 mark, but as you will see in our staff tasting, you can find a
perfectly good one for around $20.00 as long as the vintage is a good one.
So if you are the sort that is up for adventure, try preparing a feast
including wild boar or some other exotic game meat. A Chateauneuf du
Pape wine will be your perfect guide throughout the meal. Besides, if this
wine is good enough for a Pope, who are we to complain?
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