Appellation AOP Côtes du Rhône : The Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine region is undeniably the most recognisable appellation in the Rhône Valley of France, the second largest producer in the country known as the spiritual home of France.

Climate : The rocks are famous for retaining the heat from the plentiful sun, some 2800 hours a year, releasing it at night, ripening the grapes faster than in the eastern part of the appellation, where the soil is mostly sand, or the south, where the soil is grittier. The powerful mistral wind carries away the moisture, intensifying the dry climate.

Grape varieties : Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre

Alcohol content : 14.5%

Soil : The characteristic terroir of Châteauneuf-du-Pape comes from a layer of stones called galets (“pebbles”). The stone retains heat during the day and releases it at night which can have an effect of hastening the ripening of grapes. The stones can also serve as a protective layer to help retain moisture in the soil during the dry summer months.

Harvest : 100% harvested and sorted by hand. The grapes are hand-harvested to the optimal maturity using small cases to avoid crushing.

Vinification : The grapes are destemmed and fermented in inox vats. 30 days of maceration with temperature control. The alcoholic fermentation temperature is controlled at around 25°C to preserve as much varietal aroma as possible. Gentle pumping over operations are carried out on a daily basis to delicately extract aromatic substances, colouring matter and tannins.

Ageing : French oak barrels