Châteauneuf-du-Pape is one of the most famous wine names: such is its historic fame, fraudulent bottlings from across France at the beginning of the twentieth century instigated the appellation system which is now central to how the industry is organised. However, perceptions of the appellation are dominated by over-oaked, high-alcohol, overripe red wines, a style which became prevalent in the 1990s and 2000s. Visiting Châteauneuf-du-Pape showed the real story is a lot more complicated than that, as different producers have varied approaches and there are many soil types which result in quite opposed styles of wine.

climate

The first thing to be said about the southern Rhône in general and Châteauneuf-du-Pape in particular is that it’s hot. The heat beats down, the sun burning the skin within a few minutes: rarely has the coolness of a cellar been so welcome. The vines, of course, have to endure the same conditions. In Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the vines are bush-trained low to the ground, the leaves shading the grapes from the sunlight. The low training also protects the vines from the mistral, a wind that blows in from the north which has the potential to damage any vines high enough to be exposed. For this reason, low-trained vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape are the law, and there’s little reason to try and break it. There’s also vintage variation to consider: 2022 was hot, with hail an issue; 2021 was affected by frost with a cool, rainy growing season; 2020 lacked heat for more delicate styles of wine; 2019 was perfect, with heatwaves balanced by rain and moderate temperatures.

soils

The heat and sunlight mean that the wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape are naturally high in alcohol, ripe, and full-bodied. This doesn’t mean the wines have to be blockbuster and in your face. Winemaking comes into this, but the soil types influence the style of wine greatly: the historic regulations of Châteauneuf-du-Pape are much more concerned about the vineyard than winemaking.

The most famous soils are the galets, large stones which rest on the surface of the vineyard. These are synonymous with the appellation but they are found elsewhere in the southern Rhône and not everywhere in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where they are generally found on flatter vineyards. The galets traditionally aided ripening, but that really isn’t necessary any more. In fact, these small rocks create over-ripening and an overly alcoholic style of wine. Vines on these soils need to be carefully monitored and the grapes picked a little earlier, at exactly the right moment.

Other soils discourage excessively quick ripening and too high levels of alcohol. Clay soils retain water in the dry climate. North-east of the village, the soils are sandier and richer, which is where Château Rayas is located. Further north, the wines from the gravel alluvial soils on north-facing slopes are not as rich, which is where Château de Beaucastel is located. At La Barroche, just south of the village, the sandy soils do not retain heat: the vines have to dig deep to find water which leads to a long, gradual growing season. In contrast, their “Liberty” wine which comes from old vines just outside the village has galets on south-facing slopes which results in a much quicker ripening, with excessive heat and sunburn a concern: there is no green harvest to remove the canopy to ensure berries remain protected, but buds are removed to allow concentrated ripening in the remaining berries. Old vines certainly help, with their deep root systems, slower ripening, and lower yields.

single-varietal wines: what châteauneuf-du-pape is really capable of

Grenache is the most important variety, and all red Châteauneuf-du-Pape is Grenache dominant. To find out what Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache tastes like, I was able to taste “Pure” 2021 by La Barroche, which is 97% Grenache from 110- to 130-year-old vines on a windy, hillside slope. It’s not made every year, and when it is there are around 3,000 bottles. This is an incredibly smooth wine, with grainy, mouth-coating tannins, ripe red fruit aromas, and a spicy, herbal, floral character. It’s a warm climate wine with high alcohol, but a reminder of why Grenache can be confused for Pinot Noir. Its contrast to much Châtauneuf-du-Pape recalled my visit to Terroir al Limit last year in Priorat: gentle winemaking, minimal extraction, no new oak, and old vines create a much more nuanced representation of the warm-climate region.

La Barroche make a rare white wine, also called “Pure,” from Clairette and the prestigious Pied du Long vineyard just north of the village. Production is small, although they are hoping to increase it. The wine is fermented and matured in new barrels that have not been toasted, with two new concrete eggs on their way for future production. The result is especially distinctive: Clairette maintains its acidity in the hot climate and that freshness is clear in the wine, with a lean mouthfeel and a straw-like texture, and a smokiness which we were told came from the pressing. Unlike the rich, full-bodied whites of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, this is much more linear and likely to maintain acidity over several years’ ageing.

winemaking

Châteauneuf-du-Pape has gained a reputation for over-oaked wines which add to rather than complement the high alcohol. Given that Grenache, with its relatively low tannins, can be overwhelmed by excessive use of new oak, this has led to some disjointed wines. However, there is a definite turn away from new, or even old, oak. At La Barroche, there are fifteen concrete tanks newly installed, with cooling jackets to moderate temperatures for cool fermentation. There are only a couple of pumpovers, as there is no desire for extra extraction: the colour, alcohol, body, and flavour are already there. At Jérôme Gradassi’s old, authentic cellar in the heart of the village, all the barrels are old (and quite dusty): the wine is made to express itself rather than the oak. And the proof is in the wines: these are pure, smooth, elegant wines which do not need the steroids that new oak provides.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape remains a popular region to visit, with tourists braving the summer heat while walking around the picturesque village, tasting the wines, and eating at restaurant terraces. But the fame of Châteauneuf-du-Pape clouds the true nature of the wines whose individuality is expressed through grape variety, soil, aspect, weather, and producer choices. There is a consistent red-fruit, herbal, smoky nature to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but don’t think of it as a monolithic style of wine, rather an appellation with many expressions of its varied terroir.