Crush on Chateaneuf De Pape

On our recent trip to Europe, we stopped in the well-known wine appellation of Chateauneuf De Pape. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the largest appellation in the Rhône, producing only two wines, a red Châteauneuf-du-Pape (which represents 94 percent of production) and a white Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

The area is beautiful, dotted with castles and oozes in European countryside charm. And of course, wineries and their picturesque Chateaux fill the landscape at every turn.

We only had time to visit a few, and surprisingly most were very easy to access - no appointment necessary. And FREE.

Most notable stops were La Tour St Micheal, Clos du Mont-Olivet, Fortia and Beaurenard.  In general, the wines in this region (primarily red) are dark in color, powerful red fruit flavors and red fruit and overall rich aromas. 

A gem in Chateaneuf De Pape area is the medieval town of Avignon. Avignon is famous as it is the city to which the Popes fled when leaving the corruption of Rome in the 14th century.  Encapsulated behind the old city walls, the area is bustling with locals and tourists alike enjoying local Provencal cuisine in any one of the many culinary options or wine bars. The town seems to blend old world and modern - restaurants range from local hole in the wall joints to high end gelato boutiques straight from the likes of Paris. Its provides such a good ambiance overall and the good food is hard to miss in this small town.

To stay: 
Hotel D'Europe - Central in Avignon for easy access to the town's amenities. The surrounding wineries are minutes away via rental car.

Chateau De Varenne - An authentic small castle residence, the Chateau was built in 1738 but totally renovated in recent years. We stayed here! The building and grounds are gorgeous and feels very old world French.

Hostellerie Chateau des Fines Roches - Looks like a real live Castle for princesses and Knights. Seems like it would be a good experience. The property also makes wine - head down the road to the other wineries (mentioned above) for something of better quality.

The absolute best find: A liquor store with a variety of French Wines - in glass and in plastic bottles (seriously!). While we can't say much for the wine quality found among the shelves, it surely satisfied our appetite for late night refills. 

Auvoir for now!