Few places in wine carry the weight of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where centuries of winemaking tradition, ancient Grenache vines, Mediterranean sunshine, and the relentless mistral have shaped one of France's most legendary appellations. Beneath its vineyards lies an extraordinary geological mosaic of rounded river stones, iron-rich clay, limestone, and fine sand, each contributing to the remarkable diversity of wines produced within its boundaries. From the powerful, deeply savory expressions of traditional Rhône blends to the haunting perfume and elegance of Grenache grown in sandy soils, Châteauneuf-du-Pape possesses a range that few wine regions can rival. Sacred Ground brings together three exceptional wines from Domaine du Pégaü, Domaine de la Janasse, and Domaine Roger Perrin, offering a fascinating exploration of the vineyards, families, and winemaking traditions that have made this historic appellation one of the world's great sources of red wine.

Included Wines

2023 Domaine du Pegau, Châteauneuf-du-Pape "Cuvée Réservée"

Few estates embody the uncompromising spirit of traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape quite like Domaine du Pégaü. The Féraud family's winegrowing history stretches back to 1670, with Laurence Féraud and her father, Paul, establishing the domaine among the appellation's most revered names. Their celebrated Cuvée Réservée remains a benchmark for old-school Rhône winemaking, drawing upon historic vineyards such as La Crau, where ancient vines grow among the famous galets roulés, rounded quartzite stones resting over iron-rich clay and sandy subsoils. Whole-cluster fermentations with indigenous yeasts, minimal intervention, and extended maturation in enormous, seasoned oak foudres preserve the wine's distinctive character without the influence of new oak. The 2023 Cuvée Réservée delivers an extraordinary expression of dark cherry, macerated plum, wild blackberry, roasted garrigue, leather, lavender, and savory spice, supported by formidable structure and remarkable depth. Rich, earthy, and unapologetically traditional, this is Châteauneuf-du-Pape in its most authentic form, a wine that captures the extraordinary complexity and cellar-worthy character that have made Pégaü one of the Southern Rhône's most celebrated estates.

2017 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Chaupin

Founded in 1973 by Aimé Sabon and brought to international prominence by his children, Christophe and Isabelle, Domaine de la Janasse has become one of the Southern Rhône's most distinguished estates. Among its greatest achievements is Cuvée Chaupin, an extraordinary expression of 100% Grenache sourced from ancient vines rooted in the celebrated sandy soils of Chapouin, La Janasse, and La Crau. First produced as a separate cuvée in 1990, Chaupin reveals an entirely different dimension of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where the perfume, purity, and refined texture of old-vine Grenache take precedence over sheer power. The exceptional 2017 vintage, awarded 98 points by Wine Enthusiast and 97+ points by Jeb Dunnuck, was vinified with approximately 20% whole clusters and matured in traditional large oak vessels, preserving the remarkable character of its historic vineyards. Nearly a decade after harvest, the wine reveals beautifully developed layers of ripe raspberry, black cherry, crushed violets, licorice, wild herbs, and subtle earthy complexity. Richly concentrated yet extraordinarily elegant, with finely textured tannins and a long, persistent finish, Chaupin demonstrates why the finest sandy-soil Grenache ranks among the most captivating wines of the Rhône Valley.

2022 Domaine Roger Perrin, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Just minutes from the legendary Château de Beaucastel, Domaine Roger Perrin represents another remarkable chapter in Châteauneuf-du-Pape's family winemaking history. Although the two Perrin families are unrelated, their vineyards share the extraordinary northern terroirs that have helped define the appellation. Established in its modern form by Roger Perrin, the estate passed to his son Luc, who trained at Beaucastel before returning to develop the family domaine. Today, fifth-generation winemaker Xavier Perrin continues that tradition, working with approximately 40 hectares divided among 70 individual parcels. This remarkable patchwork of vineyards, ranging from the appellation's famous galets roulés to its finer sandy soils, allows the estate to capture an unusually complete expression of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Sourced from vines averaging approximately 60 years of age, the 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is vinified in concrete and matured in seasoned oak foudres, emphasizing fruit purity and traditional Rhône character rather than extraction or new oak. Now benefiting from several years of bottle age, the wine offers a beautifully integrated combination of ripe black cherry, wild plum, dried rosemary, smoky herbs, and warm Mediterranean spice, supported by supple tannins and generous depth. Approachable yet wonderfully complex, Roger Perrin completes the collection with a compelling reminder that great Châteauneuf-du-Pape is as much about balance, patience, and respect for tradition as it is about power.