Le Cellier Des Princes

Cellier des Princes - AOC Châteauneuf du Pape

Châteauneuf-du-Pape rises proudly on a 120-metre high hill in the heart of the plain of the Comtat Venaissin. It lies halfway between two renowned cities, Avignon and Orange, in the department of Vaucluse . Just a stone's throw away, the left bank of the Rhône reminds us that the history of this vineyard is closely linked to that of the river.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape is an AOC for wines produced in the towns of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Orange, Bédarrides, Sorgues and Courthézon in Vaucluse. It was here that the concept of the AOC, the controlled appellation of origin, first took shape, when in 1923 Baron Pierre Le Roy de Boiseaumarié constituted an association to defend appellations. On 15 May 1936, the appellation decree was published and Châteauneuf-du-Pape became the 1st wine AOC in France.

AOC Châteauneuf du Pape Origin

Thousands of years ago, the inland seas of the Secondary and Tertiary periods deposited successive layers of sediment which today form the subsoil of the vineyard. Then, under the influence of the Quaternary glaciations, the Rhône enters into a mad race. It destroys everything in its path and manages to tear blocks of stone from the Alpine side. This alpine diluvium, polished by the water, was deposited in places where the current subsided, notably in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Rolled pebbles , true hallmarks of the appellation's terroir, have the particularity of returning to the grapes the heat stored during the day. They thus participate in a perfect ripening. They also prevent the development of certain diseases, as water evaporates on contact with them.
After the itinerant Pope Clement V, Avignon became the residence of the popes from the reign of John XXII. The vineyard Châteauneuf-du-Pape shone in the whole world. Under the pontificate of Clement VI, the first known terroir of Châteauneuf-du-Pape was listed in 1344.

Cellier des Princes vineyards

Today, the estate covers 3,200 hectares in the communes of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Bédarrides, Courthézon, Orange and Sorgues. Although Cellier des Princes is present in all terroirs of Châteauneuf-de-Pape, it mainly covers the east of the appellation. Mainly the very high quality terroirs of rolled pebbles and sandy soils of the village of Courthézon but also in Bédarrides and Sorgues.

Cellier des Princes Grenache is their king variety

The 3 dominant grape varieties are:

• Grenache
• Syrah
• Mourvedre

However, Grenache remains extremely primary, making up between 90% and 95% of the grape varieties in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, then come Syrah and Mourvèdre. The majority of Grenache adds roundness, richness and elegance to the wines. It is a generous variety, its tannins blending with age and showing delicious aromas of cooked fruits such as strawberries, but especially aromas of garrigue and Mediterranean spices such as thyme and rosemary. The Syrah brings freshness, acidity but also fresh notes of pepper and floral notes of violets. The Mourvèdre brings structure but also the necessary balance.