May 2024 Rosé of the Month Club

Château La Nerthe

Every so often, I have the pleasure of being invited to winemaker lunches, where a visiting vigneron hosts wine buyers and showcases their wines alongside some fabulous food. Last week I was fortunate to attend one such event at Spruce with Rémi Jean from Château La Nerthe, and I was super impressed by the entire line up. As a matter of fact, I liked them so much that I bought both of their rosés for this month’s club!

Purchased by the Tulle de Villefranche family in 1560, the historic Château was built in 1736, making Château La Nerthe one of the very oldest estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. They were also among the first to bottle it their own wine, starting in 1784, and export it outside of France. They also pioneered the practice of de-stemming 100% of their grapes prior to vinification in the 19th century, by which point theirs was the most expensive wine from Southern Rhone. 

In 1870, the Tulle de Villefranche family sold the property to the Joseph Ducos family, in part due to the devastation caused to the vineyards by phylloxera. The Ducos family made their mark on Chateau la Nerthe’s history by replanting the vineyard on grafted phylloxera-resistant rootstock and by planting new, local grape varieties; 10 of the 13 permitted varietals were planted. They maintained ownership of the property until 1941 when Château La Nerthe was bought at an auction by the Leclerc and Motte families. By 1985, Château La Nerthe had become dilapidated and was put up for sale by the Dereumaux family and purchased by the Richard family in partnership with David and Foillard negociants. Their goal for the estate was to revive the original values of excellence and innovation. A complete renovation of the estate took place and much of the vineyards were replanted. In 1991, Château La Nerthe was able to expand their holdings with the purchase of 54 acres of vines, which helped to create one of the largest estates in the Southern Rhône with 230 acres. In 1998, the vineyard was certified organic. 

Rémi Jean joined the Chateau la Nerthe team in late 2019 and has been placed in charge of the estate and its winemaking. He grew up in a family of farmers in Provence, and received his degree in winemaking and agricultural engineering at Ecole Nationale Supérieure Agronomique in Montpellier. Rémi began his career in the wine cellars of Languedoc, spending one harvest there, after which he moved to Cairanne, a Côtes du Rhône Villages Cru, to work as assistant winemaker. From 2004 to 2007, he was cellar master and winemaker for Maison Louis Jadot in Beaujolais under the helm of Jacques Lardiere. Beginning with the mentorship of Jacques and through first-hand experience over the years, Rémi has learned that the quality of the wine begins with the quality of the grape and level of care and skill in vineyard management. He practices minimal intervention in the cellar and in winemaking, while keeping informed of the latest technology, and believing that it should be employed only when needed. Rémi Jean has had a long partnership with the Richard Family Wineries, previously working as General Manager for their Bordeaux properties, Château de Corcelles and Château des Tours.

Think Pink! 

Carrie Upson- General Manager