The Autard property, situated between Courthézon and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, is composed in large part of the distinctive Châteauneuf galets roulés and sandy soils; and it benefits from a variety of geographical elements, as well, that make for complex wines.

The vines range in age from forty to ninety-five years; one exceptional vintage derives exclusively from the Côte Ronde, a parcel of ninety-year-old stock rooted in galets roulés and chunks of fossilized limestone. As for the grape varieties cultivated chez Autard, it is mostly Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, and Muscardin for the reds, and Clairette, Roussanne, and Grenache Blanc for the whites.

The thinning out of the leaves "Effeuillage" permits the sun to do its job, and keeps the vines in good shape, generally. Green Harvesting helps to further aerate the vines -- the grapes included -- and thereby produce an intense, distinctive juice that cannot be confused with any other.

Rejecting risky shortcuts such as insecticides and chemical fertilizers, Jean-Paul Autard has undertaken an approach to winemaking that respects the limits and needs of this exceptional terroir that he has inherited, even as he seeks new ways to make the most of its great potential.