THE ENCLAVE des PAPES

 

              This history goes back to when the Popes had their seat in Avignon.  In 1316, the Sacred College of Cardinals purposely chose a sickly weak man as the second Pope of Avignon.  The Cardinals hoped they had elected a Pope whose reign would be short.  In fact, John XXII left this world in his 89th year after 18 years of pontifical reign.  Thanks to a conscientiously followed course of Valréas wines, he earned himself good health & longevity.  To be certain he would always have access to his elixir on Sept. 27, 1317, John XXII purchased the seigniorial rights to the Valréas estate to which he soon added the Villages of Visan, Grillon & Richerenches.  The Enclave des  Papes was born.

 

              This convergence of quality is founded throughout the whole estate; Valréas, Visan, Grillon & Richerenches all have the appellation “Côtes du Rhône Villages.”  The winegrowers of the Enclave are so conscious of this that they have deliberately defined, toughened & controlled their own production rules (governed since 1937 by the Côtes du Rhône) to guarantee the quality of the “Enclaves des Papes” thanks to the association of Producers of the Enclave des Papes.