Rhône Valley

The Rhône Valley is a renown wine region of historical significance and importance located in Southeastern France. It lies at the foothills of the Massif Central and continues on south to the Mediterranean Sea. The Rhône Valley produces a vast range of wine and is subdivided into two distinct wine growing regions: The Southern and Northern Rhône, each with their own identity and character. The Northern Rhône region is located on the slopes of the Rhône River that flows between the towns of Vienne and Valence. The region is dominated by its red wine production, elaborated from Syrah. In some instances, it is blended with a small percentage of its flagship white grape Viognier. Appellations such as Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage and Cornas are sought after red wines with incredible ageing potential. For the whites, the highly prized, powerful and exuberant Condrieu is made from the grape Viognier, and there are also wines made from Marsanne and Roussanne within the Saint-Jospeh appellation that yield interesting results. The Red wines of the Nothern Rhône are characterized by their intense aromas of dark fruit, violets, graphite and black pepper. The Southern Rhône lies south of the town of Montélimar, and continues south to the Mediterranean Sea. Its wines are blends dominated by Grenache, but can also include some of the 13 other grape varieties typically grown in the region. Needless to say that the southern Rhône produces a vast array of wines, but it is most famous for the appellation Châteauneuf-du-Pape that produce Grenache based wines that are opulent and boastful with aromas of ripe and dried fruits and garrigue herbs.