The name Chateauneuf-du-Pape means "new castle of the Pope", and dates back to the early 14th Century, when Avignon was chosen as the new home for the Pope's court. The town's name may be drenched in history, but its the prestigious wine title that made it famous. It's full-bodied red wines are made predominatly from the classic southern Rhone group trio of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. The soils that produce the tasty wines are pebbly and sandy, which is common in the southern half of the Rhône Valley.