Chateau Fortia Chateauneuf Du Pape Cuvee Du Baron, Rhone Valley, France 2020

Since the 17th century, Château Fortia has passed down its traditions and know-how to make renowned wines within one of the world’s most famous appellations. The estate’s team works meticulously and respectfully all year round, from the vines to the cellars, to ensure the finest expression of our terroir. Château Fortia is located at the heart of the most famous appellation in the southern Rhône Valley, Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The history of the village and its wines is closely linked to that of the Avignon Papacy which considerably contributed to their reputation and commercialisation. Regularly swept by the winds of the mistral and enjoying a warm and dry climate, the vines grown on the appellation give rise to powerful, tannic and concentrated wines. The terroir of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation is unique and has three main characteristics: Cretaceous era limestone soils, Tertiary era sandy soils and sandstones as well as terraces made up of quartzite pebbles. The blend of these components is at the root of our soils’ diversity which, when combined with the 13 grape varieties authorised, makes it possible to produce a broad array of wines within a same appellation. Château Fortia stretches over 36 hectares of which 32 are devoted to growing vines. The rest, made up of woods, flowered borders as well as gardens and a vegetable garden, contribute to the balance of the ecosystem on our estate. The unsegmented property is situated at the locality “La Fortiasse”, to the south of the village. The vines are all located on gentle south-facing slopes which are covered in rounded pebbles that play an important role for our vines. They accumulate the warmth of the day which they then give off at night, fostering superb ripeness and concentration in our grapes. From this rich and complex terroir, generously bathed in sunshine and regularly ventilated by the mistral, each year we gather the finest fruit produced by our work and love for our profession.