The (almost) destroyed Castle, at the top of
Châteauneuf-du-Pape dome.
Dear wine lovers,
When all the natural elements come together, some areas seem to be blessed. This is the case for Châteauneuf-du-Pape*.
Imagine a dome planted with vines and you almost have Châteauneuf-du-Pape terroir. This area, once all covered by the Rhône River, is now mostly filled with the famous pebbles, and a very draining soil, mainly composed of sand.
And on the surface those pebbles** have other great properties : Their white color allows the sun's reflection on some leaves that don't normally get direct sun. The stones also absorb heat during the day-time hours in summer (don't touch them, you might get burned) and will rever it back to the vines during the night, allowing even more ripening. Finally, the famous mistral wind blowing at its maximum there desiccates the vines and prevents illnesses due to humidity.
Of course, the right grape id required in order to benefit from those characteristics. In fact, and, as in many other places, that is the grape that has slowly acclimated there. This is the case ever since the Popes spent their summer vacation in Avignon in the 14th Century. Thinking that this area was a good place for growing grape-vines, they developed the wine there. Besides all of them, one grape is the king here : Grenache and its 12 other "lieutenants" which are Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsaut, Grenache blanc, Bourboulenc, Clairette, Roussanne, Counoise, Muscadin, Caccarese, Picpoul, Picardan will create "the 13 grapes symphony" and add complexity to the powerness the Chief.
This terroir with its clear identity has been one of the first to be recognized and the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation was created in 1936.
Drinking a Châteauneuf-du-Pape is always a very special time for me. I remember my uncle Jean-Claude bringing the bottles for Christmas. He would open them to let them breathe during the afternoon and all of us, from kids to grandparents, could taste it. Somehow, you had to respect it just because you had been respected and allowed to share this nectar.
The most special tastings I have had included this Clos du Calvaire 1947, still young with leather notes, that we drank to celebrate my Aunt Marie-Françoise's 50th birthday, this amazing 1974 from Henri Bonneau that we had with my friend Chris and, of course, the family Domaine du Banneret 1990 that we poured for our guests at our wedding dinner : A great year not only because it was an outstanding vintage but also because that was the year I met my wife, Kristin.
Besides those special vineyards, the ones I like are Clos du Cailloux, Château la Nerthe, Domaine Berthet-Rayne and the majestic Château Rayas.
My favorite dish with Châteauneuf-du-Pape is very simple : Spaghetti Roquefort, and the secret is actually in the sauce :
Bring the sour cream to a boil and add the Roquefort and a large amount of black pepper until the Roquefort melts. Then pour the sauce over the pasta. You will see how the pepper and the powerfulness from the Grenache will match with the Roquefort sauce. Enjoy !
Cheers,
Jean-Marc Espinasse
Any comments, edits are very welcome at [email protected]
*Listen to "Châteauneuf-du-Pape" :
**Pebbles = Galets
See Châteauneuf-du-Pape on a French wine map (use enlarge icon to see it better)
PS : Soeren, a retired Danish wine lover has made this very interesting website on Châteauneuf-du-Pape. If, like us, you are a passionate, you should go have a look.
