Les Clefs de l’Enclave

From 1305 to 1378, the Popes resided at Avignon rather than Rome. During this period, Avignon and its environs were added to the Papal States, becoming direct property of the Pope. This “visit” gave us, among other things, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, a Papal estate north of Avignon where the Popes moved to enjoy the wines, and, hopefully, avoid the Black Death which was sweeping through Avignon.

Elected in 1316, Pope John XXII liked the wines of the village of Valreas so much that in 1317 he purchased the estate of Valreas, just north of Vaison-la-Romaine. Pope Clement VI later added the adjacent villages of Visan, Grillon and Richerenches. Together these four villages, directly owned by the Pope but not directly abutting the other nearby Papal territories, became known as The Papal Enclave, l’Enclave des Papes.

Shortly after the 1789 Revolution, the inhabitants of the Enclave held a plebiscite and joined the nation of France, but opted to remain part of the Vaucleuse rather than joining the surrounding Drome. Needless to say, the Papacy wasn’t thrilled to lose this source of fine wines, and didn’t recognize its merger with France until 1814.

Today, the former Papal territories around Avignon make up the Departement of the Vaucleuse, and the Enclave, also part of the Vaucleuse, is separated by the surrounding Departement of the Drome.

The Canton of Valreas, just north of the rest of the Vaucleuse

Les Vignerons de l’enclave

With vineyards nestled at the foot of the razor-edged Dentilles de Montmarail, the Vignerons de l’Enclave hold the northermost vineyards in the Vaucleuse, and at relatively high elevations. Soils are well-drained stony shaley-limestone, with alluvial deposits at the bottom of the slope. The climate is typical of Provence - sunny warm days, cool nights and the influence of the Mistral- the cool northwesterly wind that blows through the Rhone and Provence.

The Wines

Working largely with Grenache and Syrah, the Vignerons produce a range of wines from both the Enclave (Cotes du Rhone and CdR Villages) and from other appellations nearby (Gigondas, Ventoux Rouge, Chateauneuf and others).

Clefs de l’Enclave Cotes du Rhone: Grenache & Syrah, harvested by individual parcel for optimal ripeness. Gently pressed and fermented in the regions traditional lined concrete for 3 weeks, then run off the lees and allowed to rest in tank before bottling. The wine is deeply spicy with bright fruit and moderate acidity- absolutely classic Cotes du Rhone.