Châteauneuf-du-Pape – named for the castle built by Pope John XXII during his 14th-century residence in Avignon – is one of the most acclaimed wines of France. Produced in this small appellation in the Southern Rhône, it is rich and full-bodied, most often made from the traditional red blend (Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre) and occasionally as a white blend. The most prized Châteauneuf-du-Pape reds are typically full-bodied, complex and rich with flavors of red fruits, spice and leather.
Wine has been produced in Châteauneuf-du-Pape since at least the 12th century. In 1923, when reputable winemakers became fed up with watered-down and fake versions of the in-demand wine, the leaders of Châteauneuf-du-Pape drew up rules governing how wine was to be produced in the appellation. Those early rules later served as a guideline for the creation of France’s nationwide Appellation d’Origine Controllée system.
