Once the appellation was created, the wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape deserved a bottle that matched their stature ! In 1937, the syndicate had an original bottle created: the coat of arms bottle. It bears a papal tiara placed above the keys of Saint Peter. The inscription ‘Châteauneuf-du-Pape contrôlé,’ written in gothic letters, surrounds this emblem. Since then, the famous flask has traveled the world. Known and recognized, it guarantees the authenticity of the wines.
From a legal standpoint, the bottle with the coat of arms is a collective trademark. In this regard, it enjoys the protective rights that trademarks have, as emphasized by a decision of the Court of Cassation rendered on September 21, 2004. It ruled that: ‘the embossed bottle indeed constitutes a protected artistic work, presenting an original and distinctive character. The author of such work has the right to protect it by registering a trademark. An appellation of origin can validly be incorporated into a complex mark, whose figurative elements have an original and distinctive character.’
In a context of heightened global competition, where usurpation and counterfeiting are rampant, it is a major asset for Châteauneuf-du-Pape to possess a collective trademark with a strong identity and undeniable legal protection.
As the first AOC wine in France in 1936, the 3,150 hectares of the appellation extend over 5 communes: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Bédarrides, Courthézon, Orange, and Sorgues. With 300 harvest declarants, the appellation produces an average of 90,000 hectoliters per vintage, or about 12 million bottles, distributed to 93% for red wines and 7% for white wines. Benefiting from a unique natural heritage, the AOC relies on 13 grape varieties, 5 distinct terroirs, and an exceptional climate, marked by sun and mistral, to produce exceptional wines distributed mainly for export (66% of volumes in 2021). Historically and continuously committed to sustainable development issues, 35% of the AOC’s surfaces are managed in organic or biodynamic agriculture.
BP 12-25 avenue Général de Gaulle
84231 Châteauneuf-du-Pape cedex
© CHÂTEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2023
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