Chateauneuf-du-Pape
What have you heard about Châteauneuf du Pape? It has been described as a commune and as a medieval village. With a population of a little over 2000, it is located on a hill about 18 kilometers north of Avignon. On the top of the hill stands the remains of an ancient medieval castle. You may associate the name with a very nice bottle of wine.
After our visit to the Palace of the Popes, we checked into the Avignon Grand Hotel. It is located just outside the south wall of the town. We had an appointment for an evening tour of the Fines Roche winery in the Châteauneuf du Pape region.
The cypress trees are planted to moderate the winds coming off of the Rhone river and the Mediterranean Sea which is about 80 kilometers to the south. The soil around the vines is covered with limestone to moderate the heat of the soil; gathering warmth from the sun during the day and keeping the soil warm during the cooler evenings.
After sampling several vines and a little food, we returned to our hotel in Avignon with a few bottles of the region’s finest wines.
Pretty neat! I wonder if the limestone also alters the pH around the roots? That’s the only reason I’ve ever heard about for using lime in the garden before.
Hi Sarah, winemakers talk about “terroir”, meaning the environment the vines grow in. I think they are particular about where the stones come from as well.