Domaine de la Solitude | Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Two kilometres east of the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the classic domaine of La Solitude, where wine has been made for several hundred years, dating back to 1264 when the first of the Lançon family arrived from Italy to serve the pope in Avignon. Solitude, one of the earliest producers to estate bottle their wines, has been in the ownership of the Lançon family since 1553. The three hats depicted on the label, signifies two bishops and a pope, who were among the fore fathers of the Lançon family.
Today, the domain with its 38 hectares in the Châteauneuf du Pape appellation, is passing to the next generation as brothers Jean and Michel Lançon are handing over the reins to Florent, Michel's son. Florent, who is passionate about innovative winemaking, while honouring traditional values, has recently started working with new tulip-shaped concrete vats which were initially designed for the fabled Saint-Émilion estate of Château Cheval Blanc and are at the cutting edge of winemaking technology. Domaine de la Solitutude’s wines are renowned for their characteristic elegance whilst expressing the true origins of their terroir.