No products in the cart.
AOC Châteauneuf du Pape
A document dating from 1094 testifies to the history of the village under the name of “Castro novo”, which means “new fortified village”.
In the 13th century, the village is named “Châteauneuf-Calcernier”, “calcernier” referencing the quarried limestone that was produced in quantity whose quality and notoriety must have contributed to the economic success of the village of that time.
It was only in 1893, at the request of the mayor Joseph Ducos and his elected representatives, that the village was renamed “Châteauneuf-du-Pape” (New castle of the Pope), thus referring to the country retreat of the popes which was built In the fourteenth century on the initiative of Pope John XXII.
Even though, archaeological finds date viticulture in the area to at least the time of the Romans, the most ancient writings that reference the cultivation of the vine date from 1157. The arrival of the Popes in Avignon breathed new life into the vineyards and it was Clement V, in particular who showed great interest in wines from this vineyard.
His successor John XXII, Pope was responsible for the construction of the castle and was the main driving force behind the wines that he called “Wines of the Pope”. From 1325 to 1334, more than 3,000 liters of wine were sold at the Palais des Papes. In addition, the wines were appreciated by the many foreign ambassadors and dignitaries that were invite to receptions hosted a the palace. This promoted the reputation of the wines internationally and very quickly, barrels were shipped to Italy, Germany and England and also across the Atlantic. The barrel gave way to the sale of bottles in the 18th century.
In 1933, the area of appellation and the conditions of production of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation were confirmed, thus guaranteeing the origin and quality of the appellation.
Today, 3,200 hectares of vines bear the appellation name Châteauneuf-du-Pape and its wines are appreciated all over the world.