La Nerthe

A history of aristocratic wine tradition

The history of Château La Nerthe is inextricably linked to the development of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. When the Tulle de Villefranche family from Avignon acquired the estate in 1560, they laid the foundations for a 300-year dynasty of winemaking excellence. The construction of the imposing château from 1736 marked the beginning of a golden era in which La Nerthe rose to become one of the most important wine estates in the southern Rhône. In 1782, it became the first winery in the region to bottle wines - a revolutionary step that emphasised the exceptional quality of the wines and carried the reputation as far as London, Moscow and the USA.
The phylloxera catastrophe at the end of the 19th century brought a turning point. Joseph Ducos, who took over the estate in 1877, proved to be a visionary saviour. His pioneering work with American rootstocks and the planting of 10 of today's 13 authorised grape varieties inspired his neighbour Baron Le Roy de Boiseaumarié to create France's first AOC. Since 1985, the Richard family of wine merchants has been taking the legacy to new heights with substantial investments.

Terroir of exceptional diversity

The 92 hectares of vineyards at La Nerthe are spread over two distinctive main sites. 60 hectares surround the château itself, while a further 32 hectares are located on the prestigious Plateau de La Crau. This natural diversity in 57 different plots reflects the entire terroir spectrum of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Sand, marl and clay-limestone soils dominate around the château, dotted with the characteristic galets roulés. On the wind-exposed plateau of La Crau, a dense layer of clay beneath the rolled pebbles creates ideal conditions for Grenache, while Mourvèdre develops its elegant tannin structure in the more humid southern sites.

The historic Clos de Beauvenir and Les Cadettes vineyards below the château are particularly noteworthy. The chalky Clos is home to predominantly white grape varieties, above all Roussanne and Grenache Blanc. Les Cadettes, on the other hand, is home to the estate's oldest vines, including Grenache Noir dating back to 1935.

Organic viticulture and minimal intervention

Château La Nerthe is one of the pioneers of organic viticulture in the region, having converted to it in 1998. Under the direction of Rémi Jean, the company pursues an uncompromising approach to quality without artificial fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides. The grapes are harvested by hand according to optimum ripeness, separated by parcel in order to preserve the characteristics of each micro-terroir.
Vinification follows traditional principles with modern expertise. As a historical pioneer of destemming, La Nerthe has been practising this technique since the 1800s. Spontaneous fermentation with natural yeasts is initiated by gentle cold maceration. Extraction during fermentation is controlled by gentle pumping over or pigeage, always with the aim of achieving maximum aromatic complexity with an elegant tannin structure. The twelve-month maturation in various vessels - from barriques to stone tanks - continues to be separated by parcel before Rémi Jean composes the final blend.

The winery and its wines

La Nerthe's portfolio is centred on four exceptional Châteauneuf-du-Pape: two white and two red. The château wines reflect the entirety of the appellation, with a characteristic interpretation that emphasises fruit, roundness and balance without compromising the impressive ageing potential. The top cuvées Clos de Beauvenir and Les Cadettes stand out from the mass of powerful Châteauneuf wines thanks to their exceptional finesse and complexity.
All four wines embody Mediterranean grand crus of the highest calibre, combining southern warmth with profound terroir character. After ten or more years of ageing in the bottle, they achieve additional dimensions of complexity and sophistication. The special bottle with coat of arms, introduced in 2001, emphasises the independent character of this historic wine icon.