Château de Nalys

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Château de Nalys

The exceptional soil of Châteauneuf-du-Pape was discovered by the Popes when they arrived in Avignon during the 14th Century. A couple of centuries later, the wine produced in the area is known as the “Wine of the Pope”, which made it very notorious all over Europe. Winemakers started to ship and export at the end of the 18th century, which increased even more its fame. This is actually where the French system of AOP (Protected Designation of Origin) takes its roots, as at the beginning of the 20th century, winemakers from Châteauneuf-du-Pape decided to define strict and unprecedented rules for the whole appellation regarding wine production.

Appellation

Appellation created in 1936
96 % red wines
4 % white wines
3 134 hectares of vineyard
95 000 hl/ year
1,2 million bottles
Average yield 32 hl/ ha
21 % of production is exported
Dry wines
290 Winemakers

Vineyard

Grape varietals

Roussanne 40%, Grenache Blanc 40%, Clairette 18%, Picardan 2%

Terroir

This wine is produced from three exceptional terroirs : « Nalys » (34%) with red sandstone typical of the Comtat and Saffres, « Bois Sénéchal » (63%) and « La Crau » (3%), both made of ancient alluvial stones from the Rhône river, the famous pebbles.

Average age of vines

45 years.

Winemaking and ageing

Winemaking method

Manual harvest and sorting, pressing and clarification of must before vinification taking place 70% in wood and 30% in stainless steel during 9 months.