There’s no place like Rhône!  Amazing history, architecture, markets, food and of course wine.

Conan the Barbarian was asked “what is best in life? ” Arnie’s answer was pretty dramatic, and not appropriate here, but as Trump says it best- “WRONG”!   Living in the Rhône Valley, eating fatty saucisson, foie gras, baguettes smeared with all manner of stinky cheese and accompanied by an excellent and inexpensive Rhone wine, now that’s  “what is best in life”.  Decent internet speed may be hard to find but, who cares, you’re in the Rhône and about to embark on a life changing experience!

The Rhône Valley is in the south of France with the Rhône River running straight through the middle of it.  The administrative region is called the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

Côte de Rhône Wine Region

The Côte de Rhône is the 3rd largest production area in France, after Languedoc-Roussillon and Bordeaux in that order.  More importantly, it is the 2nd largest production area when considering just AOC level wines.  Bordeaux is still #1 but much of what Languedoc-Roussillon produces is in the lower classifications, Vin de Table which is now called Vin de France, and Vin de Pays bumping it to #3 for AOC’s.

In case you haven’t perused the previous blog post on French Wine classifications here is a handy dandy link :

French Wine Classifications

Of the 12 wine regions in France, Rhone wine is easy to find in North America and there is a broad range to choose from for every budget.  That can’t be said for all regions, and definitely not for Bordeaux or Burgundy where the price of admission may be a bit too rich for us daily drinkers.

A whopping 81% of Rhone wines are red, followed by rosé  at 13% and white at 6%.  This is in stark contrast from its closest neighbor, Provence, where over 80% of production is rosé with a paltry 15% or production dedicated to red.

Sub-Regions in the Rhône

There are only two distinct wine regions within the Rhone production area, both well worth your time to taste and explore. I  find it fascinated that these two regions in relatively close proximity, with similar history could develop into two wine styles that are markedly different.

Northern Rhône

At the tip of the Northern Rhône wine region, is the City of Lyon where the Rhône and Saône rivers meet.  In addition to great wines, Lyon is a foodies paradise and has lots of other things to distract you.  A quick ride up one of Lyons funiculars will take you to the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière.  This amazing Cathedral was constructed between the mid 1870’s and 1880’s, with money from prominent residents, as a  dedication to the Virgin Mary.  They believed she saved Lyon from the Bubonic Plague that swept through Europe in the middle 1600’s.

Anyhoo back to wine ! The Northern Rhône region accounts for a paltry 5% of the production in the Rhône Valley but sometimes less is more!  Ponder that for a moment – the most renown wine sub region in the area only produces a small fraction of what the Rhône Region pumps out in total production.

All the AOC’s in the Northern Rhône are Cru, the highest classification, and the Cru wines from this area are considered to be the best wines of the entire Rhône region.  The Southern Rhône region has many excellent wines, but a much lower percentage of the production is classified as Cru.

Syrah is the predominant grape in the Northern Rhône and is the only red grape permitted in this region.  Some of the red AOC’s  here permit a small percentage of white grapes in the blend which not very common in other wine regions in France or around  the world.  The rules also require that the red and white grapes be co-fermented, with blending after fermentation strictly prohibited.  You may be horrified at the thought of red and white grapes dancing together, but it’s also a common practice in the France’s Champagne region.  White Champagne is typically made with both the Pinot Noir grape, which has a red skin and white juice, Chardonnay grapes, which have green skin and white juice. Difference is the grapes go through primary fermentation separately and are blended in the traditional process of “assemblage”.  The notable exceptions are “Blanc De Blancs – Champagne made form only white grapes, or Blanc de Noirs – white Champagne made form only red grapes.  More on the wonderful French champagnes later!

Most of the Northern Rhône wines should be cellared for at least 5 years, unlike the wines from the South which you can drink as soon upon release.

Northern Rhône wines are well known and coveted around the world so they easily command a higher price.  They typically start at ~$45 but can fly straight into the stratosphere which, if you’re not a science geek, is pretty high!

Southern Rhône

The Southern Rhône wine region starts at Montélimar, where arguably the best nougat on the planet comes from, and extends down and around the city of Avignon.  Only ~30 miles separates the Northern Rhône region and Southern Rhône region but the wines are truly different.

Pictures below are from one of my favorite small towns in the Southern Rhône, L’Isle sur la Sorgue. This town is best know for being a central hub for antique dealers and markets in France. Truth be told, I would rather set my hair on fire and then put it out with a hammer than shop for antiques.  My strong attraction for this town is simply the ambiance of sitting at one of the may restaurants by the canal,  sipping wine and grazing on local fare watching the world flow by.

Grenache is the main grape grown in the Southern Rhône but many of the wines are  blended with Syrah and Mourvèdre grapes, considered the “Holy Trinity” blend that is emblematic of the Southern Rhone.

The birthplace of the “GSM “ or Grenache / Syrah / Mourvèdre  blend, although increasingly popularized around the world by the Aussies, is the Southern Rhone where they have been making wine since the beginning of time.  These wines first came to popularity in Roman times and have been enjoyed by many a pope ever since!

The Southern Rhône has a dizzying array of budget friendly wines in the ~$20 range and  even Crus for ~$25 – $35.  Many of the wines from this region offer superb value, particularly when compared to wines from other regions in France.

Stay tuned for upcoming Barley and Vine post on the detailed exploration of the Southern Rhône wine region. I’ll just leave you with this picture taken from the Medieval Quarter of  Vaison-la-Romaine, where most of the Southern Rhone Cru AOC’s are less than 45 minute  drive away !  First picture of this blog post is also taken from the Medieval Quarter