The type of vines depends mainly on the soil-type, suitable for one or several varieties, but also on the character that’s wanted for the wine.
Each Domaine plot has thus been carefully analyzed to determine its individual specificities (type of various geological layers, draining capacity, sun exposure,…) and therefore to chose the most appropriate grape variety.
For Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the grape variety planted has one objective: produce a powerful but elegant wine which keeps well but can also be enjoyed when young.
This led to the strategic planting definition below for our Châteauneuf du Pape red :
- 70% of Grenache harvested when very ripe, giving wines full of generosity, roundness and aromas of crushed red fruits,
- 17% of Mourvèdre which, planted in suitable soil (clayey-sandy) and harvested late, bring structure and firm tannins, reinforcing, but not impairing the Grenache qualities,
- 10% of Syrah, giving aromas of fresh black fruits and accentuated colour,
- 3% of Cinsault makes gives the whole a bit more light.
For our Châteauneuf du Pape blanc, we decided to use Roussanne, Grenache blanc and Clairette to enhance the balance and the freshness of our wines