Château Cabrières

These wines from Châteauneuf-du-Pape would certainly have found favour with the Pope, who lived in exile here on the banks of the Rhône. The era of the Pope is long gone, but the wine has not only a great past but an equally great future ahead of it. One lovely representative is Château Cabrières, one of the most important historical estates in the Côtes du Rhône appellation in the department of Vaucluse in Provence. The first vines were documented as far back as 1344. And the oldest buildings of Château Cabrières date back to the 16th century.

The winery, with its 30 hectares of vines, has been in the ownership of the Arnaud and Jacumin families for three generations. The husband and wife team of Patrick and Agnès Vernier have been running the operation since 2009. They were able to complete and inaugurate their new cellar building just in time for the 2010 harvest. Most of the vines on this estate lie on a high plateau with chalky, quartziferous terroir and the fist-sized pebbles that are typical of this appellation. All 13 varieties that are approved for this appellation flourish here. The average age of the vines is a proud 45 years, but some are even 114 years old and provide the grapes for the top blend Château Cabrières Prestige rouge. Common to all the wines is a succulent, muscular body with spirited minerality and sensuous elegance.