As wine enthusiasts, deciding which wine region to visit first in France proved far more challenging than expected. Of course, the usual suspects came to mind almost immediately – Bordeaux, Burgundy, or Champagne? Certainly each are more than worthy for consideration and places we absolutely intend to visit, but we ended up choosing the lesser known village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape largely because it has quickly become one of our favourite wine regions. What we also discovered from our sojourn was a charming village that afforded the perfect getaway to immerse ourselves in local French living.

Located just North of Provence and the Mediterranean Sea, the name Châteauneuf-du-Pape translates to “new castle of the Pope”. During the 14th Century the village was home to the summer residency of the papacy. Today, remains of the castle sit atop a hill overlooking the village affording spectacular views of the Rhône River with Avignon in the distance.

We managed to find a wonderful home to rent in the heart of the Old Village and were rewarded with a location that was beyond perfect. We were steps away from the ruins, the local church and the centre of town. Our daily routine began by making the 5 minute walk to the local bakery to pick up our obligatory croissants and baguette before it closed at noon, followed by a stop at the outdoor café for an espresso. Our morning walks revealed the immense character of a town that has remained relatively unchanged for hundreds of years with its cobblestone streets, centuries old doorways, and wrought iron balconies.

Known mostly for its wine, Châteauneuf-du-Pape covers 3200 Hectares making it the largest AOC (“Appellation d’Origine Controlee”) within the Rhone Valley. There are 13 permitted grapes that can be grown within the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC but Grenache (noir) dominates with over 70% of the vines being planted to this variety. Grenache produces a wine of great substance, high in alcohol and full of body that offers up red fruit notes (cherry, strawberry) reminiscent of Kirsch with added spice, and is usually blended with smaller portions of Mourvedre and Syrah. The whites tend to be rich, full wines with flavours of pear, apricot, mango and spice with lush texture balanced with citrus notes that add structure and acidity.

And with 300 Domaines to choose from, there is no shortage of great wine waiting to be discovered. Notable Domaines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape include: Chateau de Beaucastel, Domaine Pierre Usseglio, Domaine Pegau, Clos Saint-Jean, Le Vieux Donjon, La Vieille Julienne, Chateau La Nerthe, Rayas, Clos des Papes, Chateau de la Font du Loup and Le Vieux Telegraph. Wine shops are abundant in the village but the majority of wineries provide tastings by appointment only. Many are without proper tasting rooms which often results in tasting in the barrel room which for us simply added to the experience. We found the vignerons (winemakers) to be beyond generous with both their time and their pours. Our visits averaged over 2 hours always featuring a tour of the winery and winemaking facilities, along with a detailed description of their harvesting and fermentation methods. We were treated to a number of vertical tastings that featured everything from barrels holding the most recent vintage waiting for bottling, through to wines dating as far back as 1997.

It is well known that the French revere quality food and Châteauneuf-du-Pape is no different. Restaurants in the village use daily menus to ensure fresh and seasonal ingredients. Given its proximity to the coast, the regional cuisine includes Provençal and Mediterranean influences which means lots of olive oil, garlic, spices, and slow cooked meat, most notably lamb—perfect accompaniments to the big, full bodied Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines the region produces. The village restaurants are also clearly proud of their local wines which feature prominently on their wine lists.

As with many parts of Europe, if you find yourself wanting to explore the surrounding areas, the larger city of Avignon is only a 15 minute drive and Gigondas (another terrific wine region worth exploring) is just 30 minutes away. This being our first visit, we were quite happy to ensconce ourselves in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and take in as much as we could with our few days there.

We learned very quickly that Châteauneuf-du-Pape is not for the person looking for a vibrant city night life. This is small town life—medieval style. It is a place where they have taken slow eating, slow drinking and long, interesting conversations to an art form. It was the perfect culmination of all the things we love: great wine, great food, fascinating history, and welcoming locals. For us, we can’t wait to rush back…so that we can slow down.