Rhône Valley

Overview

Following the course of the Rhône river as it flows southward toward the Mediterranean Sea, the Rhône Valley is effectively two distinct wine regions: Northern Rhône and Southern Rhône. They differ wildly in climate, terroir, and the grape varietals they champion.

The Northern Rhône is defined by steep, terraced granite slopes that plunge down to the river. The continental climate here is harsh, and the defining red grape is Syrah, producing deeply colored, meaty, and peppery wines from legendary appellations like Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage. White wines here are rare but highly coveted, sculpted from Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne.

The Southern Rhône opens up into a broader, flatter, and much warmer Mediterranean valley. Famous for the Mistral wind that fiercely cools the vines, it’s a mosaic of sandy, limestone, and clay soils often covered in large round stones known as galets roulés. Blends rule the south, anchored by Grenache, alongside Syrah and Mourvèdre (the classic GSM blend), crowned by the iconic appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Key Varietals

• SyrahThe sole red grape of the North. Delivers intense flavors of blackberry, black pepper, smoke, and olive tapenade.
• GrenacheThe king of the South. Provides rich, jammy red fruit, roasted herbs (garrigue), high alcohol, and supple tannins.
• MourvèdreA thick-skinned grape providing dark fruit color, sturdy tannins, and complex earthy/meaty notes to Southern blends.
• ViognierA luscious white grape celebrated in the North (Condrieu), bursting with highly aromatic notes of apricot, peach, and honeysuckle.