Châteauneuf-du-Pape is located in the northwest part of the Vaucluse, a French department created in the late 18th century. It is named after the narrow valley where the River Sorgue rises (Vallis Clausa in Latin).The Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation is bordered on the west by the Rhône River, and the famous Mont Ventoux is located 40 km to the east.

The town of Châteauneuf is on a hillside, and features the ancient castle at an altitude of 361 feet. The surrounding vineyards are on rolling land and a large plateau that starts west of Mont-Redon (390 feet), going eastward to its highest point in Pied Long (420 feet) and finishing southward in the lieu-dit La Crau. In the Tertiary Period, 60 million years ago a shallow primeval sea, a continuation of the Mediterranean, flooded the Rhône Valley. When this receded, it left behind sedimentary rock (bedrock), especially safre, an aggregate of sandy sediment, and banks of clay and limestone. When the Alps were formed during the late Tertiary and early Quaternary ice ages, followed by a warm period causing the glaciers to melt, the hollowing out of sedimentary rock created the Rhône Valley. As a result, many tons of pebbles and quartzite were swept down from the Alps along hundreds of kilometers, rubbed smooth and round, and deposited in layers on top of the bedrock. A series of 4 ice ages, punctuated by warm interglacial periods, accounts for the terraces in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

The lowest terraces, which you can see when approaching Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Sorgues, were formed during the Würmian Period (100,000 years ago). The soil is very heterogeneous here, consisting of varying combinations of clay, sand, limestone and marl. The surface is covered with alternating large and small pebbles, or even stoneless in some places.

When Châteauneuf-du-Pape became the first French appellation contrôlée wine in 1936, 13 different grape varieties were authorized each contributing its characteristics to: color, structure, fragrance, freshness and longevity. The permitted red and white grape varities are: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Clairette, vaccarèse, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Counoise, Muscardin, Picpoul, Picardan and Terret noir.

Information by: Chateauneuf du Pape

The Chateauneuf-du-Pape vineyard is covered with pebbles with the highest density on the 17 acres located on the famous terror of La Crau, eroded gravel from the Rhone River. This contributes to the richness and concentration of wines. On this sea of pebbles, the vineyard offers different products, however its location on soils with subsoil varies. The clay and limestone component alleviates water stress on the vines, which is more and more pronounced with climate change and thus provides more flexibility in the wines. The proportion of sand varies from one soil to another which brings shades of elegance and finesse to the product.