Rhône wines

The Rhône Valley stretches from Vienne to Avignon. It boasts almost 6,000 farms, spread over 77,175 hectares. The north of the region benefits from a temperate continental climate, while the south enjoys a Mediterranean climate marked by the Mistral wind. The Rhône Valley boasts such renowned terroirs as GigondasCôtes-du-Rhône Villages, Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie. It is also the birthplace of prestigious appellations such as Saint-Joseph, Hermitage and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. 

Discover our other appellations: Vacqueyras, Beaume de Venise, Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, Tavel, Costières de Nîmes.

Grape varieties in the Rhône Valley vary according to vineyard location. In the north, Syrah is the only grape variety authorized for red wines. White wines are made with roussanne, marsanne or viognier. Winegrowers in the south of the region use grenache, carignan and cinsault for their red wines, and grenache blanc, picpoul and clairette for their white wines. 

The vines grow in the Rhone Valley since Roman times. They received considerable recognition when the popes settled in Avignon from 1309 to 1418. In 1650, winegrowers introduced regulations aimed at guaranteeing the authenticity of provenance and preserving the characteristics of local vintages. The reputation of Côte du Rhône was consecrated in 1937, under the impetus of Baron Le Roy, by the granting of the AOC (appellation d'origine contrôlée) Côtes-du-Rhône.

A trip down the Rhône to discover wine

Covering just over two hundred kilometers, from Vienne in the north to Avignon in the south, Le vin du Rhône invites you to take a journey along the Rhône River. We invite you to take a look at some of the wine-making and historical milestones, some examples of the fruit of the labors of some six thousand passionate and demanding winegrowers.

Wine from the Northern Rhône, right bank

Leaving the city of Vienne, with its Roman remains and ancient theater, a few minutes along the right bank of the river brings you to Condrieu, world-famous for its white wine. Its narrow terraced vineyards are also ideal for growing another Rhône wine, Côte-Rôtie. Both wines benefit from south-facing, river-side vineyards on granite-floored cliffs. Although the Viognier grape, the main ingredient of Condrieu wine, dates back to Greek civilization, it wasn't until the second or third century AD that the Romans sanctified the cultivation of vines in this northern Rhône wine region.

Wine from the northern Rhône, left bank

Continuing our river journey, let's discover the largest of the northern Rhône appellations: the Crozes-Hermitage vineyard. A prestigious cru, Crozes-Hermitage comes in reds made from Syrah and whites from Roussanne and Marsanne. 

A little further south, heading east, we find that very special Rhône wine, a sparkling wine made using an ancestral method of carbonation: the prestigious Clairette de Die.

Southern Rhône wine

Once past the town of Montélimar, we begin to catch a glimpse of these "midi" territories, where Rhône wine ripens thanks to the generous presence of the sun. These wines now benefit from the "Côtes du Rhône Villages" appellation. Mainly located on the left bank of the Rhône, these vineyards can be explored along winding country roads, linking the pretty towns and villages of what is known as the "Drôme Provençale". All of these wines have a variety of soils, giving this family of Rhône wines as many flavors as differences in soil composition. 

To the west, between Ardèche and Rhône, we find the Côtes du Vivarais and Saint Andéol wines. If the weather's right, we can catch a glimpse of Mont Ventoux, indicating that we'll soon be arriving in Provence.

Wine from the Southern Rhône, Avignon region

In this generous Provencal region, on the left bank of the river, and far beyond, in the lands between Avignon, Orange and Vaison-la-Romaine, we're going to discover the wines that, thanks to the generous sunshine, have made all Rhône wines famous. The name Châteauneuf-du-Pape alone is enough to convince you. 

In the fourteenth century, Pope John the Twenty-second stayed in Avignon and decided to cultivate wine on a soil of red clay and quartz pebbles. This led to the development of vineyards throughout the region, and the Rhone wines that we love so much: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Beaumes-de-Venise, Cairanne, Gigondas, Vacqueyras... 

On the other bank of the Rhône, we find this rosé wine: Tavel, and red Lirac. Continuing southwards, we finally discover a Rhône wine made from vines located between the river and Nîmes: Costières de Nîmes.

Discover other domains in the Rhône region: Dambrun, Xavier Vins, Remizières, Sang des cailloux, Florane, Tardieu Laurent, Bernard Gripa, Marcel Richaud, Usseglio, Fondreche, Montine, Dauvergne Ranvier, Citadelle, Mordorée, Faury, Raspail Ay, Gallety, Colombier, Cayran, Guigal, Nalys and Alain Voge.