The village de Châteauneuf du Pape is
built on a hillside, dominating the Rhône valley, the Venaissin Comtat (the territory for centuries
under papal control, now known for its acres and acres of vineyards).
Narrow lanes and flag-stone paved stairways lead up to the vestiges of
the castle, atop the hill. |
In the 14th century,
at the initiative of Pope Jean XXII, Châteauneuf du Pape was chosen
as the site of the official summer residence.
According to legend :
The pope chose himself to plant vines in the
stony grounds surrounding his property. For a long time, the wine
produced from these vines was reserved for the papacy alone. Only
from the 18th century did it begin to be more widely known and
appreciated. A landmark date for the region is 1936, the year the
winemakers requested and received the appellation of controlled
origin (AOC) Châteauneuf du Pape. The strict rules of the
AOC governs the the wine production from the vineyard to the bottle,
permitting the 205 vineyards within the territorial designation
of Châteauneuf du Pape to produce wines of exception. The
embossed escutcheon of the papal tiara and the keys of Saint-Peter
surrounding the inscription "Châteauneuf du Pape controlled" is
now recognized worldwide. |
