About Châteauneuf-du-Pape and its wines

July 20, 2011

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Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a medieval village on the side of a hill, guarded by the ruins of an ancient chateau towering above. From the chateau hill you have an outstanding view in all directions, mostly of vineyards, of course. Off to the east and south, the Rhône winds across the fields, and the afternoon sun turns it silver.

The village streets are narrow, curving around the hillside or climbing up and down between the houses. The buildings are old, but everything is very thoroughly restored, and this is clearly a tourist town, and its purpose is to sell wine.

The village was once circled by two concentric walls. The outer wall enclosed the chateau and the entire village, as far as the main road at the bottom of the village (now in front of the Office de Tourisme). The inner wall enclosed the chateau and only the highest part of the village.

A literal translation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, “the Pope’s new house”, is actually true. The Popes of Avignon built a summertime château (their summer palace) here to get away from the hustle-bustle of the Palais. Apart from the foundations, only two walls (towers?) remain of the chateau, but they’re the ones facing the village, and they’re still high and imposing, giving a good feeling of what it was like here centuries ago.

History

Name

First record, 1157: Castrum Novum; 1215: Calcenarium. Called Chàteauneuf-Calcernier until the 16th century, because of the many lime (chaux) kilns in the area.

Medieval: It was the fief of Saint-Empire until the 12th century, when it passed to the control of the bishop of Avignon, and then to Saint Siège. Pope Jean XXII of Avignon built the chateau here in 1320. The town remained the summer home of the Avignon Popes through the 14th century. The chateau was sacked by the Routiers when Jean XXII died, and destroyed by the Protestants of Montbrun in 1562 at the beginning of the Wars of Religion. The town was ravaged by two Calvinist assaults during the Wars of Religion. The chateau was destroyed for the final time by the retreating Germans in 1944.

Wine

Châteauneuf-du-Pape has its own well-know appellation, Châteauneuf-du-Pape as well as aoc Côtes de Rhône vineyards within the Côte-du-Rhône region.

SOURCE: http://www.beyond.fr/villages/chneuf_pape.html

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