From the atlas
Domaine de la Solitude
Domaine de la Solitude is a Châteauneuf-du-Pape family estate led by Florent Lançon, with handworked vineyards, an edible vineyard and Côtes du Rhône wines.
At A Glance
| Field | Detail |
| Region | Rhône |
| Appellations | Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Côtes du Rhône |
| Main grapes | Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Clairette and Viognier |
| Signature wine | La Solitude Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2023 |
| Defining feature | Handwork and a four hectare edible vineyard |
The Producer
Vineyard work at Domaine de la Solitude is done largely by hand. The estate belongs to one of the oldest families of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with heritage tracing to the fifteenth century. Florent Lançon, the eighth generation, has led the domaine since 2008.
The estate combines Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines with Côtes du Rhône bottlings. Its farming also includes an edible vineyard, where vines grow alongside heritage trees and other crops. Its farming includes heritage olive trees, diverse crops, bee hives and pastoralism.
Place
Domaine de la Solitude's Châteauneuf-du-Pape holdings cover 37 hectares, including 8 hectares planted to white varieties. The domaine also produces wines under the Côtes du Rhône appellation, so its range moves between two Rhône labels with different geographic addresses.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape identifies the estate's central appellation, while Côtes du Rhône carries the red and white wines made from Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Clairette and Viognier. The labels separate the estate's local core from its wider Rhône range.
Soil And Site
The vines grow in sand, loam, clay and rocky soils. Sand drains quickly, while clay holds water for longer, giving the roots different physical conditions within the vineyard. The oldest Grenache parcel contains vines more than 100 years old.
Four hectares, approximately 10% of the total vineyard surface, are cultivated as an edible vineyard. Vines coexist with heritage olive trees and crops including citrus, persimmons, apricot-plums, juniper and Sichuan pepper. Bee hives and pastoralism have also returned to the estate.
Story
The Barberini family traced its roots in Châteauneuf-du-Pape to 1604. In 2008, Florent Lançon took the eighth generation into leadership at Domaine de la Solitude. He holds a national oenology diploma and a Master's degree in Biology of Populations and Ecosystems.
The family later established Maison Famille Lançon in 2012. The company markets Domaine de la Solitude wines alongside a selection of Rhône Valley wines, giving the estate a named commercial home beyond its own domaine name.
Vineyards And Cellar
The large majority of vineyard work is done by hand. In the cellar, malolactic fermentation occurs in French oak barrels. This process converts sharper malic acid into softer lactic acid, while oak allows controlled oxygen exposure during the wine's development.
Ageing uses tanks together with new and used French oak barrels for 16 months. For Côtes du Rhône Rouge, destemmed grapes are vinified in concrete vats and then aged in concrete and stainless-steel vats for a year. Destemming removes the stems before fermentation, while concrete and steel keep the élevage focused on the fruit and the wine's natural tannins.
Wines
The range includes Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines alongside Côtes du Rhône Rouge and Blanc. La Solitude Côtes du Rhône Rouge is a blend of Grenache noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre. La Solitude Côtes du Rhône Blanc is made from Clairette, Viognier and Grenache.
The white has a round, generous mouthfeel and a fresh, flavourful finish. The red occupies the range as the darker, tannic Côtes du Rhône expression, with its three classic Rhône grape varieties and concrete based élevage.
In The Glass
La Solitude Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2023 shows white-peach and apple-blossom aromas, followed by lemony freshness and a medium-bodied impression. The fruit and acidity keep the palate bright without making it feel thin.
The Rouge has a beautiful ruby colour and an intense nose of red berries and spices. Its palate is supple and generous, with fine tannins that carry the wine through the finish.
A Bottle To Understand It
La Solitude Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2023 comes first. It is the estate's white Côtes du Rhône bottle, distinct in appellation from the Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines and tied to a specific vintage. Its round, generous mouthfeel and fresh, flavourful finish give the bottle a clear physical shape within the range.
Anecdote
An early 18th-century ancestor of the family was among the first to sell his wine in bottles. He organised the sale of his harvests as far afield as England, using the name Vin de La Solitude. The episode joins a person, a product and a route: the ancestor arranged the sales, the wine was sold in bottles, and England was one of the destinations. The name Vin de La Solitude identified those harvests as they travelled. The family’s early bottled wine has a date, a label and a market.
Final Word
Domaine de la Solitude joins Châteauneuf-du-Pape family heritage with handwork, mixed farming and a Côtes du Rhône range built around classic Rhône grape varieties.
Sources
- https://domainesolitude.com/philosophy/
- https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/rhone-wines-cote-rotie-hermitage-chateauneuf-du-pape/chateauneuf-du-pape-wine-producer-profiles/domaine-de-la-solitude-chateauneuf-du-pape-rhone-wine/
- https://dreyfusashby.com/domaine-de-la-solitude/
- https://domainesolitude.com/cotes-du-rhone-2/
- https://www.greatlittlevineyards.com/wines/la-solitude-cotes-du-rhone-blanc-2024/