RHÔNE VALLEY RED WINES

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 : the northern and the southern Rhône. The 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 the northern Rhône there are only one grape variety allowed in the red wines and it is Syrah. The Southern Rhône accounts 95 % of the total production and most of the generic Côtes-du-Rhône wines come from the southern part. The 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.