MONT REDON

Established back in 1344, Château Mont-Redon is distinctly old-school; it is, indeed, one of the oldest wine-producing estates in France, as well as the largest single property in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

The estate includes 100 hectares of the most perfectly-sited vineyards in the appellation. They operate from a manual they themselves call (with some justification) ‘ancient know-how.’ This involves hand selection of the fruit, a balanced blend of numerous varieties to highlight the aromatic qualities of the wines, sustained maceration to obtain the required depth and structure, and a refined barrel aging programme.

The estate is currently run by Pierre Fabre, whose family have been in charge here since 1923. With a continuing focus on innovation, moving towards organic viticulture, sustainable practices, investment in optical sorting and natural air-conditioning through utilising an old well under the winery to cool the cellars, Mont-Redon’s future as one of the great crus looks set to be as bright as its past.