What Does 500 Years of Wine History Taste Like? With Roman Aujoulat from Chateau La Nerthe

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of The Wined Up Podcast, we sit down with Roman Aujoulat from Château La Nerthe in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. One of the Rhône Valley’s most historic estates to unpack what tradition really means when you’re the next generation helping carry it forward.  Roman grew up in the Rhône surrounded by wine at the dinner table, but stepping into a role representing one of the region’s benchmark estates still came with challenge and trepidation. From that first emotional Loire Valley Chardonnay moment that pulled him into wine, to travelling the world pouring Châteauneuf-du-Pape in places like Sydney, this conversation moves between personal story and deep regional insight in the best possible way. Along the way we explore why Châteauneuf-du-Pape allows up to 18 grape varieties, how blending gives growers freedom in a changing climate, and why Grenache still quietly shapes the identity of the region. Roman also shares the lesser-known history behind Château La Nerthe itself, including Roman amphitheatre stones hidden in the cellar walls and sealed wartime cellars rediscovered decades later. We taste through Rhône whites, Beaujolais Gamay, Châteauneuf-du-Pape whites and mature Châteauneuf-du-Pape reds while talking about ageing windows, vintage expression, and what it means to evolve a historic estate without losing its soul. ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – “You don’t need to be a pro to enjoy wine”00:00:18 – Ice Breaker 00:04:00 – What Châteauneuf-du-Pape pairs best with at the table 00:05:42 – First tasting: Rhône white blend from La Nerthe 00:08:02 – Growing up with wine in the Rhône Valley 00:10:00 – Getting the call to represent La Nerthe 00:10:36 – What makes Rhône… Rhône? 00:12:39 – Robert Parker and global fame for Châteauneuf-du-Pape 00:13:00 – Why Châteauneuf-du-Pape allows 13 (or 18) grapes 00:16:27 – Why vintage variation matters more than consistency here 00:17:03 – The Richard family story: wine in Paris 140 years ago 00:20:25 – Second tasting: Beaujolais Gamay surprise 00:23:59 – How Château La Nerthe survived five centuries 00:26:21 – Phylloxera, rootstocks and saving the vineyards 00:29:22 – Hidden Roman stones and sealed WWII cellar stories 00:34:54 – What goes into white Châteauneuf-du-Pape 00:36:18 – How white Rhône wines age (and when to drink them) 00:48:58 – Modern vs old-school La Nerthe winemaking styles 00:49:06 – Mature Châteauneuf-du-Pape reds and ageing windows 00:57:22 – Final reflections + visiting Château La Nerthe 👉 Subscribe to @thewinedup and tell us below: What’s your favourite Châteauneuf-du-Pape? Drop it in the comments 👇 Go check out Chateau Le Nerthe   https://www.domainesrichard.fr/chateau-la-nerthe/en/ 🎙️ Clip from The Wined Up Podcast 📺 Watch full episodes on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @the.wined.up 🌐 Visit https://www.thewinedup.com.au 📩 [email protected] #chateaulenerthe #domainesrichard #cdp #chateauneufdupape #TheWinedUpPodcast #wedrinkwelearnweconnect We Drink. We Learn. We Connect. Drink Responsibly. 🍷 Follow Us on YouTube (@TheWinedUp), Instagram (The.Wined.Up), Tik Tok (@TheWinedUp), Spotify (The Wined Up), Amazon Music ( TheWinedUp), and Apple Podcasts (The Wined Up).  Visit our website https://www.thewinedup.com.au or email us at [email protected].   Drink More, Try More, Learn More.