The different bottles in Chateauneuf du Pape

Until 2002 most producers used the traditionel bottle with the words Chateauneuf du Pape Côntrolé in gothic letters and with a papal tiara placed above the keys of St Pierre. This bottle was created in 1937 on the initiative of Syndicat des Propriétaires Viticulteurs de Châteauneuf-du-Pape and its president Baron Pierre Le Roy de Boiseaumarié. In 1963 La Fédération des Syndicats de Producteurs de Châteauneuf du Pape was created and the the rights concerning the use of the bottle was herited by this federation. Producers who for some reason did'nt want to be members could also use the bottle, but had to pay a small amount of money per used bottle to the federation.

       
Already in 1960 was created another organisation of wine growers: Syndicat Intercommunal de Défence Viticole de l'Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée Châteauneuf-du-Pape, SIDVAOC. For many years the members of this federation used the bottle but in the nineties the wish to use the old bottle without extra payment became accentuated and the question was brought to court. Two legal procecces resulted in decisions in favour of the Fédération of 1963 (14 April 1999 and 21 September 2004). There were also other political disgreements.
SIDVAOC then have created a new bottle called la Mitrale. The papal tiara has been transformed into a bishop's mitra and there are no keys.
It's estimated that about 1/3 of the producers use this new bottle today among them Mont-Redon, Roger Sabon and Grand Veneur.
The disgreements led other producers to create a bottle of their own, for example Chateau La Nerthe.

 
Some producers have a bottle of their own. Below bottles from Chateau La Nerthe, Chateau de Beaucastel, Chateau de la Gardine, Pere Anselme - La Fiole and from Chateau Rayas (without any arms)

 
The bottle to the right is used by most of the negociants for their wines from Chateauneuf du Pape. 

It's not easy for an outsider to understand why the 300 private producers in Chateauneuf du Pape haven't been able to agree in using one bottle, but it has to be said that the wines in one bottle are just as good as the wines in the other. You can't in any way say anything about quality, winemaking or anything else about the producer by looking at the used bottle.

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