The Rhône Valley is an area of contrast, divided neatly into the North and South regions at the town of Valence. The North is predominantly a red wine area, but also produces some rare and expensive whites. Its steep slopes give us some of the world's longest-lived wines: tannic and well structured Syrah reds, and aromatic whites.
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Location
The Rhône Valley is in south-east France, almost due south
of Burgundy. The vineyards are split into two regions with separate
identities: the steep slopes of the North and the hot plains of the
South.
Grapes
- Red: Syrah is the red grape of the North,
whilst Syrah and Grenache are blended together with other grapes
such as Cinsault and Mouvedre
in the South.
- White: Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne. Muscat
is used in the southern Rhône for fortified sweet wines.
Look Out For
- Northern Rhône Reds: Big, Syrah-based
reds worthy of ageing for at least a few years (Cornas, Cote-Rotie,
Crozes-Hermitage,
Hermitage, St-Joseph).
- Northern Rhône Whites: Substantial
whites made from Viognier or a blend of Marsanne and Roussane
(Condrieu, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage).
- Southern Rhône
Reds: Mostly Grenache-based blends (Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Costieres
de Nimes, Cotes du Rhône, Cotes du Rhône-Villages,
Gigondas, Lirac, Vacqueyras).
- Southern Rhône Whites: These
big wines are made from Marsanne and Roussane, and are an interesting
alternative to Chardonnay
(Cotes-du-Rhône Blanc, Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc).
- Southern
Rhône Rose: Tavel, a dry rose made primarily
from Grenache, is considered to be the finest rose in the world.
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Towards the south, the steep slopes give way to a broad valley floor. A tremendous amount hearty everyday red wine is produced here, but pockets of superb quality exist, such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas. The wines from the South don't have the minerally, smoky austerity of the northern wines, and are far more broad and generous. This is mostly because the soft, juicy Grenache grape is part of the blend.
Although there are differences between the North and the South, the reds are basically all spicy and warm-hearted, and the whites (with the exception of aromatic Viognier), are honeysuckle or herb-scented. Gorged with sunshine, the wines of the Rhône enjoy ripe fruity flavours and mellow, smooth textures.
Red Wines of the Rhône
The Northern Rhone Valley is the French home of the Syrah grape, which produces spicy, warm-hearted wines of remarkable depth and complexity, with rich flavours of herbs and smoke. Further South, there is a much more varied choice of grapes, with Grenache-based blends leading the way.
Côte-Rôtie
The most northerly vineyard is Cvte Rôtie (the 'roasted slope'), which produces an unusual red wine, usually made from 100% Syrah. However, it may contain up to 20% of the white Viognier grape in its blend to add an extra dimension. Côte-Rôtie can be the finest wine of the Rhône Valley: graceful and aromatic, and improving with age. Many will be at their best when fifteen or twenty years old.
St-Joseph
Although one of the less significant appellations of the Northern Rhône, St-Joseph produces some excellent Syrah wines - all at a fraction of the price of Hermitage.
Crozes-Hermitage
This is the North's best-value appellation, producing good quality Syrah wines at a much more reasonable cost than Hermitage. The wines should be drunk whilst they are relatively young, perhaps within a decade of the vintage, although some can certainly last much longer than this.
Hermitage
After Côte Rôtie, Hermitage is the other truly great red wine of the Northern Rhône. This famous wine takes its name from the hill of Hermitage above the town of Tain. It is generally considered to be the most masculine of French wines. Dark, deep, and serious, these wines are tannic and vigorous in youth, developing finesse and complexity as they age over 20 years or more.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Châteauneuf du Pape ('the Pope's new castle') is named in reference to the papal palace that was once situated in the centre of the town. The impressive ruins exist to this day, standing tall over the rest of the town.
This is without a doubt the leading wine of the Southern Rhône, and can be made up of a blend of up to thirteen different grape varieties. In practice however, many of the top wines use only three of the highest quality grapes: Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre.
Châteauneuf du Pape is a wine which is usually high-alcohol, rich and heady - fine, yet often very affordable. The best wines are usually estate bottled, and are easily recognisable by the papal coat of arms embossed on the neck of the bottle. However, this should not always be considered a guarantee of quality.
Many of the vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape are distinctive in that they are scattered with a deep layer of large, rounded stones known as 'galets'. These stones are reputed to retain the heat of the sun which helps in the ripening process.
Gigondas
After Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas is probably the second most well known appellation of the south. The Grenache grape dominates here, producing wines that are rich, full bodied, and loaded with sweet fruit.
The Côtes du Rhône
Throughout the Rhône Valley, wines are produced that may be sold as Côtes du Rhône and Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages. Although this Appellation Contrôlée actually encompasses the whole of the Rhône, the vast majority of wine is produced from the flat, arid plains of the south. A large amount of light, easy-drinking wine is made, sometimes using the carbonic maceration technique used in Beaujolais. The quality can be highly variable.
The best 17 villages of the area produce wines under the label Côtes du Rhône-Villages. These may be labelled with the village name, Côtes du Rhône only appearing in tiny print. They have lower yields and higher alcohol than the basic appellation, and are strong, spicy, and highly suitable for aging.
White Wines of the Rhône
Although the Rhône is principally known for its red wines, it produces a number of top quality, interesting and enjoyable white wines.
Viognier
Northern Rhône is the home of rare and expensive white wines made from the Viognier grape. Viognier's traditional home is in two tiny, high-priced appellations in the northern Rhone: Condrieu and Chateau-Grillet. These wines are some of the most aromatic whites in the world, with a flavour of apricots, spring flowers and a touch of spice. At their best they are heady and intense, maintaining balance with fresh acidity.
The good news is that growers in the southern Rhone are now starting to plant Viognier, and so some cheaper versions are appearing. Although they may not be quite up to the exceptional high standard of a top Condrieu, they do show the grape's astonishing flavours. Unlike many wines of the Rhône, Viognier is best enjoyed young - within a few years of bottling.
Other Dry Whites
The other white grapes of the Northern Rhone are Roussanne and Marsanne. These two grapes are responsible for the dry whites of Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, St-Joseph and St-Peray - with flavours ranging from austerely herbal, through floral to full-bodied and unctuous.
The dry whites of the South vary according to the blend of grapes used, from the soft, scented styles of Cotes du Rhone, frequently flecked with the wild perfume of herbs, to Chateauneuf-du-Pape with its citrussy mineral freshness.
Muscat
The South also produces golden, sweet wines, the most famous example being the Muscats of Beaumes-de-Venise. They are fortified wines, made by adding spirit part way through fermentation, and known as 'Vins Doux Naturels'. They are high in alcohol and sugar, and dominated by crunchy, grapey flavours, laced with rose petals and orange spice.
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