History
Domaine de la Solitude belongs to one of the most ancient families native from Chateauneuf du Pape. In France as early as the 15th century, the MARTIN’S traces can be found, but in Italy they go further back up to the ancient but just as renowned illustrious BARBERINI.
François BARBERINI, born in Tuscany in 1264, lived in Provence for a few years. The best known, MAFFEO BARBERINI apostolic nuncio in Paris from 1604 to 1606, was made Pope in Rome under the name of URBAIN VIII. Two of his nephews became cardinals and a part of the family then settled down in Avignon. They were not well remembered in Rome. They were accused of destroying antique monuments to recycle construction materials in order to build their luxurious palace.
Hence the saying " Quod non fecerunt Barbari, fecere BARBERINI "
In Chateauneuf du Pape, in 1604, Jean BARBERINI had his name frenchified to BARBERIN.
His granddaughter, Hélène BARBERIN married Claude MARTIN owner of a vineyard, he also was an apostolic (or pontifical) notary as well as clerk for the Chateauneuf du Pape municipality.
His heirs inherited his office, the notary transactions and municipality decisions are mixed up in their records. Claude MARTIN and Hélène BARBERIN’s son Antoine-Esprit is Pierre-Elzéar’s father whose wife Françoise DELOUME brought as a dowry " La Solitude " belonging to her family for a long time. Gallo-Roman’s coins and remains found on his property show that the site had already been occupied for years before.
Pierre-Elzéar MARTIN’s and Françoise DELOUME’s son, Paul-Clair-Agapet MARTIN remained apostolic notary up to the French Revolution. With him, the property had a huge development. His accounting book is still today very precious to us, containing many details on the vineyard culture, its cost and its economic records. He had organized the sell of his harvests as far as in England under the name ‘’Vin de la Solitude’’at that time the name Chateauneuf du Pape did not yet exist.
We still have bottles labels and bills of lading from the port of Marseille in our possession. Unfortunately, this wine grower much ahead of his time died too young and was unable to finish his work. From that time the property was transmitted down to the daughters.
Rosalie MARTIN, Paul-clair-Agapet MATIN’s daughter married another MARTIN called MARTIN-MORICELLY in order to avoid confusion. Napoelonian’s war veteran, he was honoured with “la Légion d’Honneur” at the battle of Waterloo. Doctor of medicine in Avignon, he was also one of the mayor’s assistant. His family descended from Philippe SAUVAN’s family, a recognized painter of the Avignon school, we can see some of his paintings at the CALVET museum in Avignon. His daughter married Paul VIGNEAU who was the secretary of the Marseille Medical Academy. Their daughter Marie VIGNEAU married Albert Jacob doctor in law in Paris who came and retired in Chateauneuf du Pape. The owner living too far from the property at that time, the phylloxera caused the fall of the domaine.
Albert JACOB was able to reshape the property and started to bring it back to its glorious past. His daughter, Paule JACOB married Pierre LANCON who carried on the task.
Two of their children, Michel and Jean will join the property in the 70’s, a few years later once Pierre lançon felt he had passed on his knowledge and experience to them, he left them the management of La Solitude and went with his wife to Sabran(Gard) to create a new domaine where they produce “Domaine de la Solitude vin AOC Côte du Rhone”.
On their part, Michel and Jean who have taken the future of Domaine de la Solitude in their hands, will keep giving attention to the vineyards culture and also pursuing the very demanding quality policy to produce their Chateauneuf du Pape wines. In 1999 driven by the will to improve the quality of their wines while respecting tradition and aiming excellence, Michel and Jean, decided to create their “cuvées prestigieuses” which provide without fail an optimum quality wine.