The Domain

For five centuries, the history of Château La Nerthe and Châteauneuf-du-Pape have melded into one. 

After leaving Châteauneuf-du-Pape, head south about 2 km, then go up the alley that winds between vines, evergreen oaks, cypresses, and olive trees to Château La Nerthe, nestled among majestic plane trees and hundred-year-old pines.

To the west, the Rhône as it continues its course towards the Mediterranean, less than 100km to the south. To the east is Mont Ventoux, the giant of Provence from the top of its 1912 m. To the south, Avignon city of the Popes. To the north, Orange, a Roman town with its ancient theater and Roman triumphal arch.

Today, the Richard Family envisions the wines of tomorrow and continues to write the story of Château La Nerthe, with the ambition of preserving and revealing this unique architectural and wine-making heritage. After a troubled period, marked by the requisition of the castle by the German occupation army in 1943, the Richard Family acquired the estate in April 1985. They immediately displayed the ambition to go back to the original values of excellence and innovation of the two illustrious families that preceded them.

Vineyard and Terroir 

For five centuries, natural springs and a mosaic of soils and subsoils have given the estate’s wines freshness and elegance. For five centuries, generations of passionate women and men have followed one other at the service of this unique terroir. 

They undertook the meticulous restoration of the castle and the digging of a modern wine cellar. Above all, they focused efforts on the vineyard, extending it in 1991, from 60 to 92 hectares (148-227 acres) with the acquisition of magnificent plots located in neighboring La Crau. These additional parcels included an extraordinary heritage of old vines, some dating back to the end of the 19th century. At the same time, the entire estate was converted to organic farming, obtaining Ecocert certification in 1998. Château La Nerthe, once again a pioneer!