Rhone Wines

The wine from Rhone Valley comes from vineyards that follow the river valley from the north to the south. The region begins on the southern end of the Burgundy region and goes south into Avignon, towards the Mediterranean Sea. The Valley has two regions that provide distinct flavours. The North Rhone is a land of steep hills based on granite mountains. The South Rhone is in the wide river valley as the river approaches the sea.

In the North Rhone, the climate has warm summers but cold winters. In response to this cooler climate, the grapes grown in this region are different from the South Rhone. The main grape varieties in these steep valleys are the Syrah (Shiraz) and the Viognier. Smaller amounts of Marsanne and Roussanne are also in the mix. Hermitage wines are a noted wine that comes out of this area. These wines are deep, dark, with a tannic, strong taste in the early years developing flavours that are more complex over time. This is just one example of the fine wines from the area.

In the South Rhone valley, the land goes from steep mountain hills to a broad river valley. The climate here is much warmer than in the North Rhone valley. The grape varieties common in this area include the Grenache, Syrah (Shiraz), Mourvedre, Cinsaut, Grenache Blanc, Picpoul, Roussanne, and Marsanne. The South Rhone produces a mixture of wines. There are many mediocre reds. However, it is also home to famous fine wines such as Cotes du Rhone and Chateauneuf-du-Pape.