"Côtes-du-Rhône Villages AOC Côtes-du-Rhône Villages is a French wine ""Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée"" (AOC) in the southern Rhône wine region of France. Red, white and rosé wine are all produced within the appellation. The quality is superior to the generic Côtes-du-Rhône AOC, but below more specific appellations such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC and Vacqueyras AOC. Côtes-du-Rhône Villages is the second largest appellation in the Rhône, only surpassed in size by Côtes-du-Rhône AOC. Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages was established as AOC in 1966-1967 though drafts originated from as early as 1953. Five ""communes"" stood out, Cairanne, Gigondas (now an appellation in itself), Chusclan, Laudun and Saint-Maurice-sur-Eygues."
"Château de Beaucastel Château de Beaucastel is a winery located in the southern part of the Rhône valley in France, which is primarily noted for its Châteauneuf du Pape wines produced in a long-lived style. For its red Châteauneuf du Pape, Beaucastel includes all 13 grape varieties that are traditionally part of the blend, and uses a higher-than-usual proportion of Mourvèdre. The special ""Vielles Vignes"" cuvée of Beaucastel's white Châteauneuf du Pape is a varietal Roussanne wine, which is rare in Rhône and rarer in Châteauneuf du Pape. Château de Beaucastel holds a total of of land, of which is"
"in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and is located east of the town in the direction of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Grenache and Cinsault are the main grapes used in the appellation's wines, along with Syrah and Mourvedre, although the latter two were not permitted until 1969. Tavel wines are dry and tend to have more body and structure than most rosés. They can be cellared, but are usually drunk young. Rosé wine cannot legally be made in France by blending red and white wines together, with the sole exception of Champagne. However, rosé wine can blend red and white grapes (before fermentation), pressed to remove the"
"produced in the region is white wine. With 72% of the total vineyard surface in 2004, Grenache noir is very dominant, followed by Syrah at 10.5% and Mourvèdre at 7%, both of which have expanded in recent decades. Cinsaut, Clairette, Grenache blanc, Roussanne and Bourboulenc each cover 1-2.5%, and the remaining seven varieties each account for 0.5% or less. It is common to grow the vines as ""gobelets"" (bushvine), and this is the only vine training system allowed for the first four red varieties. Yields are restricted to two tons per acre. In most red Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Grenache noir is the"
"to be drunk young. Some white Châteauneuf-du-Pape are meant to age and tend to develop exotic aromas and scents of orange peels after 7–8 years. Rosé wines are not allowed within the appellation. Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines are often high in alcohol, typically 13-15%, and must be minimum 12.5% under the appellation rules with no chaptalization allowed. Winemaking in the region tends to focus on balancing the high sugar levels in the grape with the tannins, and phenols that are common in red Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Following harvest, the grape clusters are rarely destemmed prior to fermentation. The fermentation temperatures are kept high, with"
"the château, such as ""La Tauléjade"", which presents the new vintages to wine professionals, the ""Fête de la Saint-Marc"", when the previous three vintages, both red and white, can be tasted, and the ""Fête de la véraison"", a big historical festival for the wines of Châteauneuf. Castle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape The castle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a château located in the town of the same name in southeastern France. Its presence has dominated the landscape around the village and its renowned vineyards for more than 800 years. The Castle of Châteauneuf was probably originally a Roman ""castrum"" destroyed during the great invasions."
"Mourvèdre, Muscardin, Counoise, Cinsault, Grenache, Vaccarese and Terret, and a white Châteauneuf-du-pape which blends Picardan, Roussanne, Clairette, Picpoul and white Grenache. With an area of 14 ""hectares"", it's one of the rare wineries allowed to use the name, which is an appellation d'origine controllée, to offer the full array of the thirteen Châteauneuf-du-Pape varieties. Although the winery kept the name of the château it does not include the name in its business since the château lies outside the Appellation d'origine contrôlée terroir. Only the lower chamber of the medieval keep and the 14th-century round tower remain of the château, along"
"in Mourvèdre. The Château de Beaucastel range consists of six wines, of which four are Châteauneuf du Pape and two are Côtes du Rhône: The Perrin family is also running a négociant business for other southern Rhône wines, Perrin & Fils. This business is separate from Château de Beaucastel. Château de Beaucastel Château de Beaucastel is a winery located in the southern part of the Rhône valley in France, which is primarily noted for its Châteauneuf du Pape wines produced in a long-lived style. For its red Châteauneuf du Pape, Beaucastel includes all 13 grape varieties that are traditionally part"
"Châteauneuf-du-Pape Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. The village lies about to the east of the Rhône and north of the town of Avignon. In the 2012 census the commune had a population of 2,179. A ruined medieval castle sits above the village and dominates the landscape to the south. It was built in the 14th century for Pope John XXII, the second of the popes to reside in Avignon. None of the subsequent Avignon popes stayed in Châteauneuf but after the schism of 1378 the antipope Clement VII sought"
"which area. Another one of the Baron's requirements was that no vineyards could be planted on land that wasn't arid enough to support plantings of both lavender and thyme. The producers of Châteauneuf-du-Pape have historically been known to be fiercely protective of their vineyard properties which is said to have led to the 1954 passing of a municipal decree in the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape that banned the overhead flying, landing or taking off of flying saucers in the commune. , this law has yet to be repealed. The appellation stretches from the eastern bank of the Rhône near Orange in"
"commune is famous for the production of red wine classified as Châteauneuf-du-Pape Appellation d'origine contrôlée which is produced from grapes grown in the commune of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and in portions of four adjoining communes. The first mention of the village is in a Latin document from 1094 that uses the name ""Castro Novo"". The term ""castrum"" or ""castro"" in the 11th century was used to denote a fortified village, rather than a castle (""castellum""). The current French name of ""Châteauneuf"" (English: ""New Castle"") is derived from this early Latin name and not from the ruined 14th-century castle that towers above the"
"The vine's strong, hard wood and affinity for bush vine training allows it to thrive in the Mistral influenced southern Rhone regions of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas. In Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Grenache noir is the most common variety of the 13 permitted varieties, although some producers in recent years have been using a higher proportion of Mourvèdre. Grenache produces a sweet juice that can have almost a jam-like consistency when very ripe. Syrah is typically blended to provide color and spice, while Mourvèdre can add elegance and structure to the wine. The grape's thin skin and pale coloring makes its well suited for"
"with its over 100 ha owned by Vignobles Jérôme Quiot is the largest. Châteauneuf-du-Pape exists as red and white wine, with the large majority of the wines produced being red. The appellation rules do not allow rosé wines to be made. The wines have traditionally been packaged in distinctive, heavy dark wine bottles embossed with papal regalia and insignia, however in recent times a number of producers have dropped the full papal seal in favour of a more generic icon, while still retaining the same heavy glassware. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is traditionally cited as allowing thirteen grape varieties to be used, but"
"Castle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape The castle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a château located in the town of the same name in southeastern France. Its presence has dominated the landscape around the village and its renowned vineyards for more than 800 years. The Castle of Châteauneuf was probably originally a Roman ""castrum"" destroyed during the great invasions. A 913 charter referred to the ""castellum de Leri"". It also appeared under the name ""castellum de Leri"" in a 913 charter signed by Louis the Blind which ceded the site to Foulques, bishop of Avignon. The castrum on the hill was replaced with new construction"
"Muscardin Muscardin is a dark-skinned grape variety primarily found in the southern part of the Rhône region. It is primarily noted for being one of the thirteen grape varieties permitted in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. It is a very rare variety, and in 2004 only 0.4% of the appellation's vineyards were planted with Muscardin. The resulting red wines tends to have high acid levels, low alcohol, light tannic structure but can show attractive flowery aromas. The color is also lighter than most Rhone varieties and the wine is prone to the wine fault of oxidation. Muscardin appears to be nearly identical"
"is allowed into many appellations of Southern Rhône, Provence and Languedoc. The white wines Clairette de Bellegarde and Clairette du Languedoc are made entirely from Clairette blanche, while the sparkling wine Clairette de Die can also contain Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains. Clairette blanche is frequently used in the blended white Vin de pays from Languedoc. It is also one of the thirteen grape varieties permitted in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. With 2.5% of the appellation's vineyards planted in Clairette blanche in 2004 it is the most common white variety in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, slightly ahead of Grenache blanc. Outside France it is"
"due to confusion between the two in the vineyard. Counoise Counoise is a dark-skinned wine grape grown primarily in the Rhône valley region of France. Counoise is also grown in California and Washington. Counoise adds a peppery note and good acidity to a blended red wine, but does not have much depth of colour or tannin. There were of Counoise in France in 2000. Counoise is one of the grapes allowed into the blend of Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine. In 2004 only 0.5% of the appellation's area was planted with Counoise. Some producers who favour the variety use about 5% of it"
"red, white and rosé wines, often blends of several grapes such as in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The first cultivated vines in the region were probably planted around 600 BC. The origins of the two most important grape varieties in the northern Rhone (Syrah and Viognier) are subject to speculation. Some say the Greeks were responsible for bringing the Syrah grape from the Persian city of Shiraz. Others say the grape came 50 years later when Greeks fled from the Persian king Cyrus I. Yet others say the grape came from the Sicilian city of Syracuse, whence circa 280 AD the Romans brought"
"the whites grapes are blended into red wines, which means that white wine production only accounts for around 5 percent of the total. In white Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Grenache blanc and Roussanne provides fruitiness and fatness to the blend while Bourboulenc, Clairette and Picpoul add acidity, floral and mineral notes. The style of these wines range from lean and minerally to oily and rich with a variety of aromas and flavor notes—including almond, star fruit, anise, fennel, honeysuckle and peach. A single varietal, Roussanne, that is matured in an oak aging barrel, is also made by some estates. Most whites are made"
"Counoise Counoise is a dark-skinned wine grape grown primarily in the Rhône valley region of France. Counoise is also grown in California and Washington. Counoise adds a peppery note and good acidity to a blended red wine, but does not have much depth of colour or tannin. There were of Counoise in France in 2000. Counoise is one of the grapes allowed into the blend of Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine. In 2004 only 0.5% of the appellation's area was planted with Counoise. Some producers who favour the variety use about 5% of it in their blends, and those account for most of"
"to Mondeuse noire except that it has less sensitivity to downy mildew. They are however not thought to be the same variety. Muscardin is also known under the synonyms Muscadin and Muscardin noir. Muscardin Muscardin is a dark-skinned grape variety primarily found in the southern part of the Rhône region. It is primarily noted for being one of the thirteen grape varieties permitted in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. It is a very rare variety, and in 2004 only 0.4% of the appellation's vineyards were planted with Muscardin. The resulting red wines tends to have high acid levels, low alcohol, light tannic"
"described as earthy with gamy flavors that have hints of tar and leather. The wines are considered tough and tannic in their youth but maintain their rich spiciness as they age. The wines often exhibit aromas of dried herbs common in Provence under the name of ""garrigue"". Châteauneuf-du-Pape dominated by Mourvèdre tend to be higher in tannin and requiring longer cellaring before being approachable. White Châteauneuf-du-Pape is produced by excluding the red varieties and only using the six permitted white varieties. The white varieties account for 7 percent of the total plantation according to 2004 statistics, and a portion of"
"including Côtes-du-Rhône and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Syrah is also the only red grape used in the wines of the northern Rhône. In 1968, there existed only of Syrah vineyards in France, primarily in the traditional appellations of northern Rhône, which at that time had not received much attention in the wine world for several decades, and the vineyards of which were not planted to full capacity. After the wines of northern Rhône were ""rediscovered"" by wine writers in the 1970s, plantings expanded considerably. This trend received an extra boost in the 1980s and 1990s, when influential wine writer Robert M. Parker, Jr."
"Les vins skalli Les Vins Skalli is a wine producer which operates in France and is based in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. In the 1980s, the company, which is exclusively owned by the Skalli family, was a pioneer in French varietal wines. Today, the company sells wine from the Languedoc region, the Rhone Valley region, Provence and Napa Valley all over the world. In the 1920s, Robert-Elie Skalli starts working in wine-making and chooses land in the Oran, Mascara and Aïn Témouchent regions of Algeria to plant Southern French variety vines such as Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache, Alicante, and so on. In the 1950s,"
"de Chateauneuf"". Le Roy's plan, focusing then specifically on the Châteauneuf-du-Pape, was one of the first geographical delimitation of an area in France. (Previously, the Douro wine region of Portugal and the Tokaji region of Hungary were deliminated by government decrees). Baron Le Roy's plan isolated an area around the village that was infertile and arid, suitable only for growing lavender, thyme and wine grapes. Further drafting regulations on grape varieties, harvest, yields viticulture and winemaking techniques, under Le Roy's guidance Châteauneuf-du-Pape began using only manual harvesting and rejecting at least 5% of the harvest during sorting. Producers also stopped"
"Champagne (wine region) The Champagne wine region (archaic ) is a wine region within the historical province of Champagne in the northeast of France. The area is best known for the production of the sparkling white wine that bears the region's name. EU law and the laws of most countries reserve the term ""Champagne"" exclusively for wines that come from this region located about 100 miles (160 km) east of Paris. The viticultural boundaries of Champagne are legally defined and split into five wine producing districts within the historical province: Aube, Côte des Blancs, Côte de Sézanne, Montagne de Reims,"
"was abolished, and reintroduced in 2010 as an annual ""mark of quality"" depending on independent annual assessment. Médoc The Médoc (; ) is a region of France, well known as a wine growing region, located in the ""département"" of Gironde, on the left bank of the Gironde estuary, north of Bordeaux. Its name comes from ""(Pagus) Medullicus"", or ""country of the ""Medulli"""", the local Celtic tribe. The region owes its economic success mainly to the production of red wine; it is home to around 1,500 vineyards. The area also has pine forests and long sandy beaches. The Médoc's geography is"
"the skins being frequently pumped over and punched down for the benefit of tannin levels and color extraction to achieve the characteristic dark Châteauneuf color. Beginning in the 1970s, market tendencies to prefer lighter, fruitier wines that can be drunk sooner have prompted some estates to experiment with carbonic maceration. Low yields are considered critical to the success of Châteauneuf-du-Pape with the principal grape varieties tending to make thin and bland wine when produced in higher quantities. The AOC requirements limit yields to 368 gallons per acre, which is nearly half the yields allowed in Bordeaux. The common technique of"
"heiress of the Château Fortia, one of the most prestigious wine producing estates in the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Vaucluse department of southern France. He became a prominent figure in not only the history of Châteauneuf-du-Pape but also in the history of French wine. In 1935 he and Joseph Capus co-founded the ""Institut National des Appellations d'Origine"" (INAO) and spearheaded the creation of the ""Appellation d'origine contrôlée"" (AOC) system that would become the basis of the French wine laws and continue to influence European wine laws into the twenty-first century. Pierre Le Roy de Boiseaumarié Pierre Le Roy de"
"Piquepoul blanc, Piquepoul gris, and Roussanne. (The varieties not specifically mentioned before 2009 are Clairette rose, Grenache gris and Piquepoul gris.) Both red and white varieties are allowed in both red and white Châteauneuf-du-Pape. There are no restrictions as to the proportion of grape varieties to be used, and unlike the case with other appellations, the allowed grape varieties are not differentiated into principal varieties and accessory varieties. Thus, it is theoretically possible to produce varietal Châteauneuf-du-Pape from any of the eighteen allowed varieties. In reality, most Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines are blends dominated by Grenache. Only one of every 16 bottles"
"Champagne-Ardenne Champagne-Ardenne () is a former administrative region of France, located in the northeast of the country, bordering Belgium. Mostly corresponding to the historic province of Champagne, the region is known for its sparkling white wine of the same name. The administrative region was formed in 1956, consisting of the four departments Aube, Ardennes, Haute-Marne, and Marne. On 1 January 2016, it merged with the neighboring regions of Alsace and Lorraine to form the new region Grand Est, thereby ceasing to exist as an independent entity. Its rivers, most of which flow west, include the Seine, the Marne, and the"
"Château de l'Hers The origins of the Château de l'Hers, in Châteauneuf-du-Pape on the banks of the Rhône, go back to the beginning of the 10th century. Until the French Revolution it was an enclave of Languedoc in the Comtat Venaissin. Protected as a historic monument since 1973, it has given its name to a winery. Various elements of the château de l'Hers attest to the occupation of this strategically important location as a control point for river traffic, since late Antiquity at the latest. Several tombs with saddleback roofs form a small 6th-7th necropolis not far from the first"
"quality, some of them being comparable to or better than some of the Grand Cru Classé wines. Château Phélan Ségur, Château Les Ormes de Pez, and Château Haut-Marbuzet are just a few such wines. Saint-Estèphe AOC Saint-Estèphe is an ""Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée"" (AOC) for red wine in the Bordeaux region, located in the Médoc subregion. It takes its name from the commune of Saint-Estèphe and is the northernmost of the six communal appellations in Médoc. Five classified growths of 1855 (Bordeaux Grands Crus Classés en 1855) are located within the appellation area. Saint-Estèphe has held AOC recognition since 1936. Vines,"