Four generations, one appellation — the Diffonty family in Châteauneuf-du-Pape
The roots of the Diffonty family date back to 1673, when their first traces were recorded in the Vaucluse, between Orange and Avignon. At that time, they were still growing fruit, vegetables, and olives on their plots. The family made the transition to viticulture at the beginning of the 20th century: in 1902, they began pressing and bottling their own wine for the first time instead of selling the harvest to négociants. In 1924, Félicien Désiré Diffonty officially founded the winery and simultaneously participated in the creation of the Syndicat of Châteauneuf-du-Pape — the institutional foundation from which the current AOC would emerge shortly thereafter. His son, Félicien Jr., continued the legacy, created the brand name Cuvée du Vatican in 1958, and served as mayor of Châteauneuf-du-Pape for over three decades. Today, Jean-Marc Diffonty, born in 1972, manages the estate as the fourth generation — since the handover in 1993, he has fundamentally realigned it.
Manual labor in the vineyard, parcel-based thinking in the cellar
Jean-Marc Diffonty manages his vineyards without herbicides and pesticides, following the principles of lutte raisonnée. Since 1998, he has systematically controlled yields through targeted soil cultivation, consistent thinning, and green harvesting — especially with younger vines growing alongside old stocks. The estate's oldest Grenache vines were planted in 1905. The terroir of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is diverse: sandy soil, the characteristic galets roulés (flat pebbles that store heat during the day and release it at night), and red clay shape different plots and flow into the blend as independent puzzle pieces. During the harvest, Jean-Marc Diffonty relies on manual parcel selection with a sorting table — his declared ambition as a winemaker is to have the same discerning eye as a chef at their pass.
In 2010, the family took a logical step for the brand: the winery, previously known under the name Cuvée du Vatican, was officially renamed Château Sixtine. The historic brand name Cuvée du Vatican lives on as an independent négociant label for Côtes-du-Rhône wines.
Grenache, garrigue, and the weight of the south — an overview of the range
At the heart of the range is the classic trinity of grape varieties of the southern Rhône Valley: Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre for the red wines, Roussanne and Clairette for the whites. The Cuvée du Vatican — as a Côtes-du-Rhône blend of Grenache and Syrah — shows the uncomplicated, accessible face of the estate: aromas of fig and dried plum, garrigue spice from the Syrah, and ripe tannins without pressure. Château Sixtine, on the other hand, is the flagship: a Châteauneuf-du-Pape blend from hand-picked individual parcels, produced in small quantities and with corresponding depth. In addition, there is the Manus Dei, another selection from Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The white wine counterpart to Château Sixtine — produced only in strong vintages — delivers aromas of white peach, orange blossom, and a hint of brioche. Serving recommendation for the red wines: 16–18 °C, preferably decanted for an hour; classic accompaniments are leg of lamb, game birds, and strong mountain cheese.
