Château de Vaudieu

Some quite extraordinary and complex Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines are made at the family-run Château de Vaudieu, a testament to the remarkable local terroir and the skill and prowess of winemaker Philippe Cambie. His unparalleled understanding of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and its ancient varieties has ensured that Châteaude Vaudieu is a leading benchmark for other southern Rhone Valley properties – over the past decade or more Châteaude Vaudieu has been one of the finest and most reliable names in the region.

Châteaude Vaudieu has been producing high-quality wine in the appellation since the 18th century. This mid-sized estate with 70 hectares benefits greatly from exceptional vineyard sites, some of which average 60-plus years of age. The property takes its name from the local description ‘Val de Dieu,’ referencing the region’s spectacular landscape. It was founded in 1767 by Admiral Gérin, a lieutenant in the Marseille admiralty. He constructed a magnificent Châteauat in the region’s heart and built up a mighty reputation for his wines’ quality. Of course, as is typically the way with wine estates, the Château changed hands over the years until it came under the control of Gabriel and Juliette Meffre. They did much to expand the reputation and vineyard holdings of the Chateau, enlarging their holdings to today’s 70 hectares.

The great Gabriel Meffre passed away in 1987, and yet his impressive legacy lives on today. He was succeeded by his daughter Sylvette Bréchet, who has steered the property to further greatness ever since. She has been aided since the 1990s by her son Laurent, who today is responsible for the day-to-day management of the estate. Together, they have implemented several important changes at the Chateau, including modernizing the existing winery to vinify the fruit separately from each of their 32 vineyard plots, allowing each terroir’s unique properties to be fully expressed. They have also expanded their cellars and, most importantly of all, have shown an unwavering dedication to only producing the highest quality wines.

But what is most remarkable about this wonderful property is that even in lesser vintages, the wines show impressively well – in good years, they are outstanding! And while all of Cambie’s wines are reliably excellent, it is the marvelous old-vine cuvée prestige Admiral G shows the amazing intensity and real class. It is produced from very low-yielding, superbly sited, venerable vines. It is simply one of the great wines of the appellation and France.