It is difficult to do more different than the domain of Villeneuve and the domain of Beaurenard. That of Beaurenard is nestled in the heart of the wine-growing town of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in the south of the Rhône valley, in a building which is not ostentatious but which is nonetheless quite typical. , with its wrought iron gate overlooking the street. In the sales area, glass containers display the grapes from the main grape varieties: Grenache, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, Clairette, Picpoul… Thirteen grape varieties are authorized in Châteauneuf, eight reds and five whites. In the windows are decades-old wines – it must be said that the Beaurenard estate has been managed by the Coulon family for seven generations.
Unlike Beaurenard, the Villeneuve estate is a simple shed, in the north of the village, which served as the papal summer residence at the time when the popes sat in Avignon, in the 14th century.e century. It is behind the building on the D72, between Roquemaure and Courthézon, that the plots of this small estate which has no history are spread out. No retail space here, and the roadside sign is barely visible. You have to make an appointment with the owner, Stan Wallut, if you want to visit the estate. However, this newcomer has one thing in common with the old families of winegrowers like the Coulons: he sees the future of organic viticulture.
Nearly a third of the arable land in Châteauneuf-du-Pape is now farmed organically. This is more than double the average for French vineyards, all regions combined. For Stan Wallut, it is quite simply a lifestyle choice, a relationship with nature and resources. The man leads a bit of a hermit’s life on his little plot, with a cat that catches mice in the cellar and a dog with an enigmatic name. One has the impression of hearing “Herr Satz”. Stan, who does not speak German, ends up spelling: “H-e-r-z-a-t.” It’s a German word, isn’t it? We end up having the end of the story: the dog is actually called Ersatz[“Replacement”[“Remplacement”