There are birthdays, and then there are anniversaires historiques. On Friday 15th May, Châteauneuf-du-Pape celebrated the 90th anniversary of becoming France’s very first Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée in 1936.
Why the fuss? Well, post-First World War, pretty much any wine could be labelled Châteauneuf’ regardless of quality, grapes or origin. Unscrupulous vendors knew that vrai Châteauneuf’ commanded a premium price so labelled wines accordingly. Local winemakers got fed up with their wines being trashed by cheap counterfeits so formed a working group led by Baron Le Roy to define the permitted growing area, grape varieties allowed and various other production rules.
This set the template for the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system that spread across France, Europe and the world. One of the earliest forms of ‘consumer protection’, the AOC system gives appellations clear identities on which they can build their reputations. All sorts of foodstuffs now labelled PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) like Parmigiano Reggiano, Cornish pasties or Jambon de Bayonne can thank the growers of the Southern Rhône and Baron Le Roy for their efforts.
So what does Châteauneuf-du-Pape look like in 2026?
Now extending to 3,150 hectares spread over 5 villages, 300 producers make around 12 million bottles each year. Over 90% of production is red but plantings of white varieties are skyrocketing. Reds are based heavily on Grenache Noir but – pub quiz alert – 18 varieties are permitted to be used across red and white wines (one of the highest in France).
Ninety years on, Châteauneuf-du-Pape remains the Rhône’s undisputed grand seigneur and spiritual home of sun-drenched Grenache, galets roulés (pudding stones) and the ruins of the original castle (bomb damaged in 1945). Spend a night or two at Michelin-starred La Mère Germaine for a culinary and vinous treat.
We are fortunate to work with two top-notch producers based in the town who embody everything good about the appellation.
Le Vieux Donjon:
Setup in 1979 by Lucien and Marie José Michel, Le Vieux Donjon is now run by siblings Claire and François Michel. The family have spent decades crafting Châteauneuf’ of extraordinary balance and longevity and produce just the one red and one white wine from 18 hectares of vines (some of which are over 80 years old) across 6 lieux-dits and eschewing the practice of fancy special cuvées.
“Along with a small handful of other estates, I consider Claire Michel’s Le Vieux Donjon at the top of the heap when it comes to classic, age-worthy and traditionally made Châteauneuf du Papes.”
Joe Czerwinski – The Wine Advocate, robertparker.com
Their red and white wines are bottled in almost every size from halves to jeroboams and offer an excellent rapport ‘qualité-prix’
Domaine du Père Caboche:
Run by the Boisson family for generations, current winemaker Emilie produces wines from old-vine Grenache that can be traced back to the early 20th century.
Generously- fruited, with wonderful garrigue spice, their wines are readily approachable and can be enjoyed on their youthful fruit. (Their Côtes du Rhône and ‘Petit Caboche’ bottlings offer a glimpse into their ‘house style’ at a fraction of the price of their ‘grand vins’).
