RHÔNE VALLEY RED WINE

Rhône Valley is an important wine region in the southeast of France. The vineyards of the region follow the Rhône river 150 miles from Lyon until near the Mediterranean coast. The region's wine producing area cover such a distance that it is divided into two distinct parts: Northern and Southern Rhône. Northern Rhône accounts only a very small percent of the total production. It is however a home for the prestige appellations like Hermitage and Côte Rôtie. In Northern Rhône there is only one grape variety allowed in the red wines: Syrah. Southern Rhône accounts for 95% of the total production and is where most of the generic Côtes-du-Rhône wines come from. Southern Rhône has its own prestigious appellation: Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The Rhône Valley shines thanks to some winemakers such as Maison M. Chapoutier, Delas Frères, E. Guigal, Domaine Louis Cheze, Domaine Courbis and Domaine Yves Cuilleron.