|
The Châteauneuf du Papes, also known as the Veraison
wine festival, celebrates all things wine. The name means
"the Pope's new castle" because back in the 14th
century the Pope was said to have a penchant for wine. Legend
has it that one of the first things that Clement the Vth did
when leaving Rome was to inspect his winefields. In 1316 his
successor John the 22nd went one better and built a castle
in Châteauneuf du Pape.
Châteauneuf du Pape town has a vineyard on every other farm
with the vines exceeding up to the roads. The regional wines
requires 13 different kinds of grape and is considered one
of the worlds best wines.
A wine festival is celebrated in all of the wine making villages
in the region, in celebration of the ripening of the grape
to yield a good harvest. Châteauneuf is renowned as one of
the best of the wine festivals in Southern France, where there
is steep competition. Each year during early August the whole
village of Châteauneuf du Pape gets together and welcomes
people from far and near to celebrate in her streets for live
street performance. wine tasting and music.
It is a traditional festival with joustings, horse riding,
jugglers, fire eaters, sword fights and a medieval style carnival.
During the festival a fountain spouts out free wine for visitors
to make merry. The Pope who owned this chateau had his own
drinking song:
"I want to sing to you
of this old Châteauneuf
that I've bottled just for you
It will work miracles;
for when this wine makes us tipsy;
Venus will crown our mirth!"
Much tipsy mirth is to be had if you're fortunate enough
to visit the region during the festival. |
