Rhône Valley Wines

NORTH AND SOUTH

The Rhône Valley is divided into two wine-growing regions, commonly referred to as the Northern Rhône Valley and the Southern Rhône Valley

Following the northern slopes which stretch from Vienne to Valence on granite slopes, the grape varieties are Syrah for red wines and Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne for white wines. The Northern Rhône has 6 IGPs and 11 AOCs including Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage. 

As for the southern coasts stretching from Montélimar to Avignon, the vine takes up all the space on rather chalky soils with a multiplicity of grape varieties, Grenache nevertheless playing the role of the main grape variety for the red wines and Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc for the white wines. The Mediterranean climate with its characteristic mistral wind runs down the Rhône Valley to the sea. 

The diversity of influences, both geological and climatic, can only favour the appearance of an extremely varied wine production. The birth and development of winegrowing also owes much to history, particularly the establishment of the papacy in Avignon at the end of the Middle Ages.

The Popes' vine

Some rivers have separated, others, more rarely, have united, but few have done so as much as the Rhône. Nature has always seemed to point out to humans this vast furrow so favourable to relations: the vine has infiltrated it at its leisure following the Greek merchants and the Roman legionnaires. Was it a coincidence that the Roman conquest came to a halt, or was it the beauty of the banks of the Rhône that attracted them? The fact remains that thanks to the fantastic work of the legions, the vine appeared on the northern coasts. The success obtained by the Allobroges led to the development of a trade whose dynamism is attested to today by archaeological excavations.

All French vineyards owe much to the medieval clergy, which the monastic ideal later favoured, but only those of the Rhône Valley can pride themselves on bearing the direct imprint of the papacy itself: from the 14th century onwards, the wines of the Côtes-du-Rhône (the former name of the wine-growing region) acquired their international reputation. The Carthusian and Cistercian religious orders played a major role in the development of the northern vineyards, particularly in the south with the impetus of the installation of the Papal Court in the Comtat in 1305. Great consumers of wine, the ecclesiastical dignitaries and their entourage were not satisfied with importing Burgundian wines. They planted vines, particularly in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where the popes owned a fortress and a vast estate.

A vineyard that continued to grow even after the return of the papacy to Rome, both in surface area and in reputation, until the revolution. Trade with England was not as favourable as in the Bordeaux region, and the commercial conditions in the Rhône Valley were hampered in many ways: for a long time, the increase in production was held back by taxes on the wine trade. Fortunately, the 17th century put a stop to these taxes and the appearance of major communication routes such as the Canal du Midi only encouraged trade.

Remarkable wines

The red wines of Rhône vary greatly in colour, ranging from ruby to dark purple in their youth. The best have depth, length on the palate and a harmony comparable to that of the fine wines of Bordeaux. The most famous red wines are Côte-Rôtie, Crozes-Hermitage and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and the white wines are Condrieu and Clairette de Die. South of Cornas, Saint Péray has long been renowned for its golden, full-bodied sparkling wine, while to the east, on the Drôme, Clairette de Die is light and aromatic sparkling wine.