the avignon papacy & chateauneuf

In 1304 with the death of Pope Benedict XI, the College of Cardinals met to elect the new Pope. The College was evenly split between French and Italian Cardinals, and after a full year of conclave, they selected Raymond Bertrand de Got (the Goth), who ascended the throne as Pope Clement V.

Clement, ever the good Frenchman, immediately relocated the Papal Court from Rome to Avignon in France’s Rhone River valley, a Papal exarchate within the Kingdom of Arles. The Papacy stayed there until 1376.

Clement V was a very active Pope and a true creature of King Philip IV of France- one of his first acts was to repeal the Papal bull Unam sanctam, which had asserted Papal authority over all secular rulers and threatened Philip’s rule. A second move was supporting Philip’s arrest of all members of the Knights Templars on Friday, 13 October 1307 (giving that day/date its undeserved bad reputation. After convening a rubber-stamp Council, Clement then abolished the Order in 1311, allowing Philip to confiscate its enormous wealth.

Clement V was fond of wine, and did much to establish vineyards around Avignon and on the plateau just to the north, where his successor John XXII built a new Papal Palace- the literal Chateauneuf du Pape. The region has been famed for the quality of its wines ever since, and in 1923, the first rules governing the production of Chateauneuf were established, making Chateauneuf France’s very first Appellation Controlee.

Clement V was also owner of a significant wine estate in Bordeaux’s Graves region, a property gifted to him by his brother Berald in 1300 upon his appointment as Bishop of Bordeaux. This estate, the oldest planted estate in the region, is today’s Chateau Pape-Clement, on of the finest estates in the Graves.

Pape Clement went through centuries of ups and downs, and was significantly revitalized by vigneron and poet Paul Montagne who purchased the estate in 1939. Following his death at 94, his son Leo partnered with Bernard Magrez in a co-ownership arrangement and today the estate is fully owned by Bernard Magrez.

Bernard Magrez & Destinee de Clement V.

Bernard Magrez was born in Bordeaux in 1936. He joined the wine business in his teens and is today a multi-millionaire owner of no less than forty different wine estates around France and around the world.

Along with Chateau Pape-Clement, Magrez is the sole owner of three other classified growth estates, including Chateau La Tour Carnet, Clos Haut Peraguay, Chateau Fombrauge in St Emilion as well as, Chateau Malleprat in Pessac-Leognan, Chateau Moulin d'Ulysse in Listrac, and Chateau Le Sartre in Pessac-Leognan.

With this background and with holdings all over the Languedoc, it’s no surprise that Magrez is the owner of a superb domain in Chateauneuf, from which he produces his La Destinee de Clement V Chateauneuf du Pape blanc and rouge.

The Wines

La Destinee de Pape Clement Blanc is a lush and complex blend of 65% Grenache Blanc, 15% Roussanne and 10% each Bourboulenc and Clairette. Hand-harvested, then cold-macerated for about a week before pressing off the lees and fermentation. Maceration, Fermentation and elevage all in Inox. Rounded with gentle acidity and notes of white fruit and floral aromas. Great with grilled fish, shellfish or roast chicken.

La Destinee de Pape Clement Rouge is a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre. Hand harvested then hand triaged on a sorting table. Maceration for approximatey 30 days in large cuve, then fermentation and elevage in 2nd and 3rd year oak barriques. Great with roast or grilled meats, rich stews or strong cheeses.