Definition: Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC

The Côtes du Rhône appellation is well known for its stony soil, which releases the heat stored during the day at night. With thirteen authorised grape varieties, the number and variety of wines produced are significant. Since 1980, Syrah and Mourvèdre have been increasingly planted. The use of new oak for ageing is still experimental. There are two categories of red wines: traditional wines, which are full-bodied, dark, spicy and suitable for long ageing, and "modern" wines, which are bursting with fruity and sappy aromas. In all cases, the reds are spicier and warmer than the best wines from Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage. The whites, which benefit from an early harvest, are exotic and fruity, with a fresh and lively finish. The most commonly used grape varieties are Grenache Blanc and Clairette.

Grape varieties

The Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation regulations authorise 13 grape varieties for the production of this wine out of the 21 in the Côtes du Rhône AOC. Some are used primarily:
Red grape varieties:
- Grenache,
- Syrah,
- Grenache,
- Cinsault
Others in smaller quantities:
Red grape varieties:
- Vaccarèse,
- Muscardin,
- Counoise,
- Terret noir.
Main white grape varieties:
- Grenache blanc,
- Clairette blanche,
- Clairette grise,
- Marsanne,
- Roussanne.
Secondary white grape varieties:
- Viognier,
- Carignan,
- Piquepoul,
- Picardan
- Bourboulenc.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape (original bottled with coat of arms)

When did the coat of arms appear on Châteauneuf-du-Pape bottles?

Although Châteauneuf-du-Pape was recognised as an AOC in 1929, it was in 1937 that the Syndicat des Propriétaires Viticulteurs de Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Châteauneuf-du-Pape Winegrowers' Association), then chaired by Baron Pierre Le Roy de Boiseaumarié, launched the famous bottled wine bearing the coat of arms. The coat of arms affixed to the bottles, a stylised representation of a papal tiara placed above the keys of St Peter, is surrounded by the inscription "Châteauneuf-du-Pape contrôlé" in Gothic letters.

Protected by several trademarks in France and abroad, this emblem not only specifies that the products it contains meet the production standards of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC, but also that its users (around 200 estates) are qualified winegrowers. The armoured bottle remains a symbol of success and a source of pride for the appellation's winegrowers. Created at the time to distinguish the wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape owners from the rest of the commercial production, the armoured bottle continues to fulfil its distinctive role today.

One notable exception is Château Rayas, which did not deem it necessary to use this bottle bearing the coat of arms, even though it is a source of pride for the appellation's producers.

The armoured bottle is available in 75 cl, magnum (150 cl) and, since June 2003, jeroboam (300 cl) formats.

Known and recognised throughout the world, it is undoubtedly one of the most successful, a model of harmony and balance that makes it timeless. Beyond their role in the creation of the AOCs, Baron le Roy and the members of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Syndicate were visionaries in the creation of the container that symbolises the advent and recognition of the winegrower's work within his appellation.

Collaboration between winegrowers' groups

There have long been two groups in Châteauneuf. One, the Federation of Producers, is "authentic and local" and was created in 1923. The other, the Intercommunal Syndicate, was founded in 1960.

Until 1995, they jointly managed the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC by working together: organising tastings with the INAO, promotional activities, external relations, etc.

Although there were some tensions between these two groups in 1999-2001, fortunately they now coexist peacefully and collaborate on certain issues. It was during this initial period that two types of bottles were created for the appellation.

There is a well-known union bottle, engraved with the papal coat of arms, used by all winegrowers producing AOC wines.

About the new Châteauneuf-du-Pape bottle:

A great wine in its finest setting, "la Mitrale". A new ambassador to affirm the quality standards of a legendary wine. France's oldest appellation has a new official bottle: la Mitrale.

Specifications and quality control:

A symbol of the high quality standards of the winegrowers of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, this new showcase guarantees a very high standard of production, as its use is subject to very strict regulations.

Beyond the wines' membership of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC, these regulations impose compliance with analytical and organoleptic standards, as well as requirements relating to bottling, corking and the date of sale.

Through very precise specifications and control procedures (testing before bottling, sampling on the bottling line, anonymous tasting), the winegrowers of Châteauneuf-du-Pape demonstrate their ongoing quest for impeccable quality in their production and their ability to respond to changing markets and consumer demands, both today and tomorrow.

The SIDVAOC (Syndicat Intercommunal de Défense Viticole de l'Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée Châteauneuf-du-Pape) was founded in 1960 on the initiative of producers wishing to develop the quality and typical characteristics of their product. It brings together winegrowers located in an appellation area covering five communes on the left bank of the Rhône: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Bédarrides, Courthézon, Orange and Sorgues. The Intercommunal Syndicate's mission is to defend and protect the Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Côtes-du-Rhône Appellations d'Origine Contrôlée and, more generally, to promote, combat fraud and defend the individual and collective wine-growing interests of its members.

An elegant design that retains the papacy as its symbol.

A relief in the shape of a mitre (the symbolic headdress of the pontifical regalia that gives this new bottle its name) elegantly envelops the Mitrale. The repetition of the papal headdress on its front definitively affirms its origins rooted in the history of the papacy.

With its bold and delicate lines, its soft, elegant and rhythmic shapes, and its contemporary design, the Mitrale makes you want to pick it up, like a precious object, a worthy witness to ancestral know-how.

Created by Symapset de Saint-Gobain Emballage, the Mitrale adopts new codes in terms of weight, colour and engraving, and displays the links between this terroir and the papacy.

Keen to equip itself with a new promotional and collective management tool, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Intercommunal Wine Protection and Appellation of Origin Union (SIDVAOC) has just unveiled its new official bottle. La Mitrale, designed by the Symaps Design agency and produced by Saint-Gobain Emballage, is wrapped in a mitre-shaped sheath topped with a glass ball and bears the papal tiara on its front. Antique in colour, it has a square Châteauneuf-style ring. The 65-millimetre fill level allows for the use of long corks (49 or even 54 millimetres), limiting the risk of leakage. The 75-centilitre version weighs approximately 660 grams. The interprofessional organisation hopes that the 50 winegrowers and 5 merchants approved by it will sell 2.5 million bottles per year. According to initial sales figures, "this new bottle is very well received in export markets and by women," says Alain Jaume, president of SIDVAOC.

The terroir of Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The terroir, grape varieties and winemaking methods all have their own impact on the finished product. In Châteauneuf-du-Pape, since the end of^{the 19th} century, winegrowers have favoured selective production. They have equipped themselves with the necessary means to achieve this, demonstrating great perseverance and determination. This determination, which has been passed down to today's winegrowers, makes the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation a model of rigour and success in the wine world.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is classified in the category of grands crus of the Rhône Valley. The history of the Castel-Papal vineyard is closely linked to that of the river. The Châteauneuf appellation area - 3,200 hectares delimited between 1924 and 1929 - corresponds to a geographical unit (the plateau) rather than a geological one: there is great variety in the soils. During the Quaternary glaciations, the waters of the Rhône carried the famous rounded pebbles from the Alps to the highest terraces of the vineyard. The inland seas of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras had previously deposited successive layers of sediment, which today make up the subsoil of the vineyard.

These photos taken at Château Mont-Redon illustrate the unique nature of this terroir on the Châteauneuf plateau – see attached PDF file.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Ideal pairing:

What dishes will you serve your Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines with? Whether red or white, Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines are full of character and will stand up well to dishes with powerful yet refined flavours.

Here are a few suggestions:

Red wines: with age, the intensity becomes more pronounced.

Young and fruity, when the tannins are still very present, Châteauneuf-du-Pape reds pair well with simple dishes such as ham and terrines, or even a truffle omelette. With age, they gain complexity and depth and pair well with more refined and noble dishes. Their tannic structure becomes more refined and their aromas more intense. At this stage, they pair well with spicy poultry (coq au vin, braised duckling, duck breast with cranberries) and lamb (sautéed, shoulder or grilled). The finest game (deer, hare or wild boar stew, woodcock, thrush, pheasant salmis) deserves the flavours of slightly older vintages (ten years or more) with spicy notes. Hare à la Royale and black truffle-based dishes are particularly suited to older vintages from the appellation.

White wines: elegance and complexity.

White wines from the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation account for less than 10% of total production. Highly aromatic and wonderfully fresh, they surprise with their elegance and complex aromas. When young (2 to 3 years old), they are recommended to accompany fresh fish, shellfish and white meats. Slightly older vintages, with aromas of honey, hazelnut and toast, are the perfect accompaniment to pan-fried foie gras and all types of shellfish. They also pair very well with chicken, veal, fine mushrooms (chanterelles and porcini), bloomy rind cheeses and goat's cheeses. Finally, older vintages of Châteauneuf-du-Pape are an excellent choice with truffles.

N.B.: The attached PDF contains all the explanatory illustrations for this entry.

Further information is available on the following websites: