Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The name alone sounds regal, dripping with history and tradition. It means “New Castle of the Pope,” a nod to the time when the papacy ditched Rome for the South of France. Back in the 14th century, Pope John XXII set up his summer retreat here, expanded the vineyards, and gave the region’s wines his blessing—literally. Fast forward a few hundred years, and this legendary wine country found itself dealing with something a little less divine: UFOs.
Yep, you read that right.
In 1954, during peak Cold War paranoia, France was buzzing with sightings of strange lights and “flying cigars” in the sky. Châteauneuf-du-Pape, home to some of the world’s most coveted wines, was not immune to the hysteria. But instead of panicking about little green men, the town council had a different concern—protecting their vineyards. So, in a move that’s equal parts practical and hilarious, they passed an official decree: No flying saucers allowed.
The law, still technically on the books today, states that UFOs cannot “fly over, land, or take off” within the town. And if an extraterrestrial craft dares to touch down? Immediate confiscation. (Of the ship, not the aliens. Presumably, they’d just get a firm talking-to.)
Decades later, this odd little slice of history inspired a California winemaker with a taste for Rhône-style wines and a sense of humor. Randall Grahm, founder of Bonny Doon Vineyard, created Le Cigare Volant—French for “The Flying Cigar.” His wine, a bold blend inspired by the famous reds of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, became a cult favorite. And with a label featuring a UFO hovering over vineyards, it pays homage to the town’s strange but true law.
So, the next time you pour a glass of Châteauneuf-du-Pape (or Le Cigare Volant), raise a toast to popes, paranoid politicians, and a wine region so fiercely protective of its grapes that it even banned aliens. Because history, like wine, is best enjoyed with a great story.