Expert Guides

Rhône Valley

Stacy Ladenburger — Fri, 08 May 2026 21:36:30 GMT

Current Revision posted to Expert Guides by Stacy Ladenburger on 5/8/2026 9:36:30 PM

History of the Rhône Valley
Rhône Valley Wine in Context
Land and Climate
Rhône Valley Wine Law
The Grapes of the Rhône Valley
Northern Rhône
Southern Rhône
Bibliography

The Rhône Valley has a very long history of viticulture and today produces some of the most characterful and impressive red, white, and rosé wines in the world.

The topography of the region is key to understanding the distinctions between the Northern Rhône and the Southern Rhône, with dramatically steep slopes in the north that give way to the rolling plains of the south. These distinct features dictate the grapes grown, the styles of winemaking practiced, and the differences in the resulting wines.

The Northern Rhône is home to four local grape varieties (Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne) and small, terroir-driven appellations. Most of the vineyards are planted on ancient igneous rock. The climate is continental. The Southern Rhône appellations, in contrast, are much more expansive regions where winemaking traditions are based on blending. Soils are younger, more varied, and largely sedimentary, and the climate is Mediterranean.

History of the Rhône Valley

The history of winemaking in France dates to approximately 600 BCE, when Greek settlers from Phocaea, in Anatolia, arrived and founded the city of Massalia (modern-day Marseilles), close to where the Rhône River flows into the Mediterranean. This settlement came under the control of the Romans in the second century BCE and was an important stop on their trading route to Spain. The Rhône River enabled the Romans to expand viticulture northward, and fragments of clay amphorae and other Roman artifacts have been found along the river.

When the Romans reached the Northern Rhône, they found that they were not the first to consider making wine there. The Allobroges, a Gallic tribe whose capital was Vienna (modern Vienne, near the vineyards of Côte-Rôtie), were producing wine and trading it with their neighbors, as reported by Pliny the Elder in Natural History, written in roughly 77 CE. These wines were likely flavored with resin, so they would have tasted very different from the wines produced there today.

In 476 CE, the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire was deposed. Grapes continued to be cultivated, though documentary evidence until the Middle Ages is scarce.

In 1274, a large portion of land known as Comtat-Venaissin (roughly comparable to France’s Vaucluse department) was granted to the Holy See. The papacy moved the seat of the pope to Avignon, where it remained from 1309 to 1376, during the reign of seven popes. The death of the last Avignon pope, Gregory XI, led to the Western Schism in the Catholic Church, the period from 1378 to 1417, when there were two, then later three, rival popes, each with his own following. In the era of the Avignon papacy, Châteauneuf-du-Pape was much more dedicated to viticulture than other regions of France, with 45% of agricultural land planted to wine grapes instead of the far more popular cereal grains. Also during this period, the second Avignon pope, Jean XXII, oversaw the building of a summer palace 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) north of Avignon in the village that is today Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This led to the planting of significant vineyards around the village to cater to Roman households. Even after the return of the papal residence to Rome, the Vatican continued to receive shipments from the Rhône Valley, suggesting that quality was high even then.

Rhône wines reached more markets with the 1681 opening of the Canal du Midi, which provided trade routes to Bordeaux, Paris, and beyond. During the 18^th century, the port of Roquemaure, close to Lirac, became an important base for shipping goods, including wine, up and down the Rhône River. In this era, barrels were emblazoned with the letters CDP to prevent fraud, and Château La Nerthe began shipping in glass bottles in the 1770s. The wines of the west bank—around Lirac, Tavel, and Laudun—were held in particularly high esteem at this time. Domaine de la Solitude, in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, has export documentation dating back to 1826, reflecting sales to the Austrian empire and England.

In 1862, just as the Rhône Valley was beginning to gain international renown, phylloxera struck. The aphid arrived in a shipment of vines from a Mr. Carle to his friend M. Borty in Lirac. When he planted the vines in his garden, M. Borty unwittingly unleashed a vineyard pest that spread throughout France, destroying over two million hectares (five million acres) of vines. It was not until 1868 that growers understood that the roots of their vines were being attacked by the insect. Eventually, a cure was formulated: grafting French vines onto American rootstocks, which were immune.

By the mid-1880s, local vineyards were being replanted, and wines such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape were once again in high demand. But there was nothing to stop winemakers from other regions passing off their own, often inferior, wines as Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Local winemakers appealed to the owner of Château Fortia, the baron Pierre Le Roy de Boiseaumarié, who had trained as a lawyer, for help. He eventually agreed, and in 1923 he began producing a document that laid out the unique combination of growing area, soil types, grape varieties, and winemaking traditions that resulted in an authentic Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine. He stipulated that irrigation should be banned and set minimum alcohol at 12.5%. On May 15, 1936, Châteauneuf-du-Pape became the first wine appellation in France (ratified a day before four other pioneering appellations: Arbois, Tavel, Monbazillac, and Cassis).

Le Roy’s approach became the blueprint for the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system, also known as Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP), which has since been adopted throughout Europe. Le Roy was also instrumental in establishing the Institut national de l’origine et de la qualité (National Institute of Origin and Quality, or INAO), the body responsible for granting AOC status in France, which he presided over from 1947 to 1967.

Both world wars had huge impacts on the wines of France. Many wine professionals lost their lives. Some vineyards abandoned in the aftermath are being rediscovered only today.

The next important event in the Rhône Valley’s history was the record-cold February of 1956, when temperatures dropped to minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit). This extreme cold, combined with a north wind of 180 kilometers (110 miles) per hour, arrived just after an unseasonable warm snap. The sap in the olive trees had started to rise, and it froze in the branches, cracking the trunks and decimating the plantings. Since young olive trees take longer than vines to bear fruit, it was more efficient for growers to replant their farms with the latter, which can yield a crop after three years. Until this point, the Southern Rhône was largely a land of polyculture smallholdings. The 1956 freeze marked the transition to a more monocultural vineyard landscape.

There were other developments that enabled large-scale viticulture to spread in the Southern Rhône. One was the growth of cooperative wineries. By 1946, 50% of Côtes du Rhône wines were made by co-ops, and, by 1981, that figure had risen to 68%. When grapegrowers don’t need to invest in their own production facilities, they can purchase more land.

Another factor that encouraged estates to expand in size was the increased availability of heavy machinery and agrochemicals after World War II. By the 1970s, however, a contingent of winemakers had begun to reject synthetic chemicals and work either organically or biodynamically. This trend has been growing ever since. By the 2024 harvest, 24% of the vineyard area producing AOC wines in the Rhône Valley was certified organic.

Barrels in a Rhône cellar (Credit: Jeff Habourdin for Inter Rhône)

Great and reputed domaines have waxed and waned under different ownership. Many estates, once well known, have been sold off, often parcel by parcel, to other producers. Raymond Trollat, famed for the quality of his Saint-Joseph, passed away in 2023; some of his old vines (planted by Trollat’s grandfather in 1920) were sold to Domaine Gonon, and these are now bottled as Gonon’s highly sought-after cuvée Vieilles Vignes. Another respected local vigneron, Jean-Louis Grippat, sold his holdings of Saint-Joseph and Hermitage to Domaine E. Guigal in 2001. The Hermitage parcels now go into Guigal’s white and red Hermitage Ex-Voto, and Guigal bottles the Saint-Joseph as Vignes de l’Hospice.

In Côte-Rôtie, Domaine Dervieux-Thaize and Domaine Gentaz-Dervieux were inherited by René Rostaing, and these estates are now part of Domaine Rostaing, led by René’s son Pierre. In Cornas, Guillaume Gilles bought an old vine parcel of the lieu-dit Chaillot from his mentor, Robert Michel, when he retired. Franck Balthazar bought his old vine Chaillot from the lauded Noël Verset. Wines from masters such as these are very hard to find, but, when they do appear at auction, they tend to fetch the highest prices of any auctioned Rhône wines.

Rhône Valley Wine in Context

Credit: Inter Rhône

In 2024, France was the second biggest producer of wine in the world, behind Italy, producing 36.9 million hectoliters (all figures in this section are for the 2024 harvest unless otherwise stated). The Rhône Valley is the third largest AOC wine region by volume in France, after Bordeaux and Champagne, producing over 2,165,000 hectoliters (57,190,000 gallons) from roughly 63,300 hectares (156,400 acres) and representing around 3% of global wine production.

Of the volume of Rhône Valley AOC wine sold in 2024, 36% was exported, 38% was sold in French supermarkets, and 26% was sold in France through other channels (including on premise, off premise, and direct to consumer). The Rhône Valley sells a higher percentage of organic still French wine in French supermarkets than any other region.

The top five export markets by volume for Rhône Valley AOC wine in 2024 were Belgium (19%), the UK (16%), the US (13%), Canada (10%), and Germany (8%).

Although the global fine-wine market is dominated by Bordeaux and Burgundy, Rhône wines are gradually making inroads. Akin to these other top regions, since the 1990s, the Rhône Valley has been increasingly focused on single-vineyard wines. From the geologically diverse slopes of Côte-Rôtie to the varied elevations of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, producers are excited to highlight these differences in the wines, which are also commanding higher price points in the market.

The 21^st-century success of these wines is reflected in their progressively favorable status in the auction market, especially in the 2020s. Many top auction houses report greater than 10% increases year over year in the number of Rhône-themed lots. Names from the Northern Rhône are most common, including Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Domaine E. Guigal, Domaine Jamet, M. Chapoutier, Domaine Mathilde et Yves Gangloff, and Thierry Allemand. Southern Rhône producers are seen more rarely, but the wines of the late Emmanuel Reynaud (Château Rayas, Pignan, Château de Fonsalette, and Château des Tours) fetch the highest prices. Wines from the late Henri Bonneau and Château de Beaucastel (especially its cuvée Hommage à Jacques Perrin) are also highly sought after. Overall, the top three performers at auction are Rayas, Chave, and Guigal.

Rhône Valley vineyards stretch over six French departments: Rhône, Loire, Ardèche, Drôme, Gard, and Vaucluse. Perhaps surprisingly, given the fame of appellations such as Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage, approximately 92% of all wine produced in the Rhône Valley is from the Southern Rhône. The Southern Rhône’s more forgiving topography and its population centers provide the opportunity for larger-scale wine production, while the Northern Rhône, with just 8% of the Rhône Valley’s total production, is a much more challenging place for viticulture.

Of the Rhône wine produced, 75% is red, 13% is rosé, and 12% is white. Red and rosé production have been decreasing since 2021, which reflects the significant drop in consumption of red wine in the local market during this period. Meanwhile, white-wine production has increased.

In the hot, dry, windy climate of the Rhône Valley, organic viticulture is relatively easy compared with more northerly French wine regions, and this approach has been steadily growing. In 2024, 22% of the total harvest volume was certified organic, another 1% was biodynamic, and 37% was HVE3 (Haute Valeur Environnementale, a French agricultural certification that recognizes environmentally conscious farming practices).

Land and Climate

Geology and Topography of the Northern Rhône

The Rhône River emerges from the Rhône Glacier, in the canton of Valais, in Switzerland. From Geneva, it flows south into France, then west toward Lyon. In Lyon, the Saône River feeds into and enlarges the Rhône River, which then starts its journey south toward the Mediterranean Sea. This is where the wine regions known as the Rhône Valley begin: just south of Lyon, where the Rhône River follows the eastern edge of the Massif Central. This granite outcrop was formed by volcanic activity between 380 million and 280 million years ago and covers around 86,000 square kilometers (33,000 square miles), which equates to 16% of mainland France. Hemmed in by the Massif Central, this section of the Rhône River flows fast and deep.

The Northern Rhône refers to the vineyards grown on both sides of the Rhône River between Givors (just south of Lyon) and Montélimar. The AOC vineyards of the west bank begin at Côte-Rôtie AOC and run all the way to Saint-Péray AOC (with some small outcrops of Côtes du Rhône AOC land farther south in La Voulte-sur-Rhône). There are some patches of woodland between vineyards on this side of the river, but the steep west bank is heavily planted with vineyards, which overlook the Rhône River itself. The six AOCs on this side of the river, from north to south, are Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Château-Grillet, Saint-Joseph, Cornas, and Saint-Péray. The most prevalent rock is granite, but, in the far north, there is schist and gneiss in Côte-Rôtie; there is also limestone in the far south, most notably in Saint-Péray.

There is a small outcrop of granite on the east bank, too, sheared off the Massif Central long ago by the action of the river. This piece of granite forms the western flank of the hill of Hermitage, and, on the eastern side of the hill, glacial sedimentary soils dominate. This piece of granite extends northward, at a lower elevation, into the far northern reaches of Crozes-Hermitage AOC. Most of this appellation, however, is south of Hermitage and composed of much younger alluvial soils. As on the west bank, there are small areas of Côtes du Rhône AOC vineyard land much farther south, around the historically important hillside terroir of Brézème, near Livron-sur-Drôme.

Along the Drôme River past Brézème, there is a separate alpine vineyard area that belongs in the Rhône Valley family: Diois, named after the village of Die, at this region’s heart. In this steep river valley, there are 1,700 hectares (4,200 acres) of highly dispersed and parcellated vineyards that climb to an elevation of 700 meters (2,300 feet). Soils here are essentially clay-limestone (some containing colluvial limestone scree), with alluvial terraces lower down, toward the valley floor.

Apart from the most easterly and southerly parts of Crozes-Hermitage AOC, all the cru vineyards of the Northern Rhône, both west and east bank, overlook the river. Much of the vineyard area is located on steep slopes, which often must be terraced.

Because Syrah and Viognier are both very productive in terms of their foliage, they must be held up on long stakes (traditionally made of wood, though some are fashioned from plastic or metal), known locally as échalas. Compared with training vines on wires, this training method is expensive and labor intensive; it also has a striking impact on the appearance of the local landscape. The steep slopes make mechanization very difficult. These factors increase labor costs, resulting in higher prices for Northern Rhône wines compared with those from the Southern Rhône.

The movement of tectonic plates has had a fracturing effect on the Massif Central. Rivers and streams running down from the Ardèche plateau to the west have naturally exploited these cracks and created valleys that run west to east. Over time, these have deepened, creating some south-facing terroirs (historically these were the most favorable sites); most of the vineyards of the Northern Rhône, however, face southeast and east, at an elevation between 100 meters (330 feet) and 350 meters (1,150 feet).

Geology and Topography of the Southern Rhône

Montélimar marks the informal boundary between the Northern Rhône and the Southern Rhône. The flora, including fields of lavender and olive groves, reflects the warmer temperatures toward the south. The rock on which the vineyards are grown also changes. The shelf of granite ends, and softer, younger sedimentary soils proliferate. No longer directed by the Massif Central, the Rhône River has frequently changed course from here on its way to the Mediterranean, and, in places, there is more than one branch of the river.

The Southern Rhône covers a much larger area than the Northern Rhône, and its geological history is correspondingly more varied and complex. The main soil types here are clay-limestone, sand, and alluvial deposits. Most appellations contain a mix of different types.

The Southern Rhône region was under the Tethys Sea 230 million years ago. Eventually, the sea evaporated, leaving behind layers of salt and gypsum. Water returned to the region during the Jurassic period, and with it came ammonites and reptiles. During this era, huge bands of clay and limestone were deposited. In the Paleogene period, the movements of tectonic plates created the Pyrenees; these forces also created folds in the Southern Rhône, such as the Luberon mountain range and Diois. The action of the Nîmes fault pushed up the Dentelles de Montmirail massif and is responsible for the complex soils around Gigondas.

The Mediterranean Sea entered the Southern Rhône during the Miocene and Pliocene periods, laying down significant banks of sand. There are large deposits in the far north of the Southern Rhône around Rousset-les-Vignes; around the base of the Dentelles de Montmirail, in Gigondas, Sablet, Séguret, and Beaumes-de-Venise; to the east of Châteauneuf-du-Pape; and on the west bank in Lirac and Tavel. At the end of the Miocene period, the Cairanne-Rasteau hills and the Visan-Valréas hills—both consisting of clay-limestone soils and pebbles—were created by the actions of lakes and rivers.

At the start of the Quaternary period, the Rhône River was still being fed by the Rhine, so the former was larger and more powerful than it is today. It transported huge amounts of pebbles and other alluvial deposits from the Alps into the Southern Rhône, laying down the pudding stones, or galets roulés, that are a feature of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and other AOCs, such as Lirac, Tavel, Costières de Nîmes, and Côtes du Rhône Villages Gadagne. Younger terraces of smaller galets have been laid down by successive periods of glaciation, such as the garrigues of Vacqueyras, Plan de Dieu, and Crozes-Hermitage in the north.

The Southern Rhône, though it does have hills and mountainous areas, is flat compared with the Northern Rhône. Some vineyards, including parts of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, overlook the river, but tributaries often play a more important role.

The central Côtes du Rhône growing area is essentially a large bowl, bordered to the east and west by mountains. As such, the west-bank vineyards are more commonly east facing; the east bank is essentially west facing. But because of the diversity of terroir, hills, and mountains within this huge area, vineyards face every direction. The best terroirs were historically south facing, but, with a warming climate, some winemakers now prefer east- or even north-facing terroirs, especially for white wines.

Most vineyards are at an elevation between 80 meters (260 feet) and 350 meters (1,150 feet); some vineyards in Beaumes-de-Venise and Ventoux are even higher, up to 550 meters (1,800 feet). The lower, flatter vineyards have allowed for much more mechanization in the Southern Rhône than in the Northern Rhône. Although some grape varieties, such as Grenache, Carignan, and Counoise, grow well as self-supporting bush vines, all varieties are often trained on wires to better enable harvesting and other actions by machine. Many growers prefer bush vines when they are an option, though, as they have benefits, such as providing shade to the grapes in hot weather.

The suitability of much of the Southern Rhône to mechanization has shaped the wine industry here. It enabled growers to develop large estates with fewer employees, which gave rise to numerous cooperative wineries in the Southern Rhône—comparatively rare in the north, where négociant houses are more common.

Climate of the Rhône Valley

The climates of the Northern Rhône and the Southern Rhône are very different. Côte-Rôtie is equidistant from Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Beaune, and its climate lies between the two.

The Southern Rhône has a Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and mild winters. The Northern Rhône has a continental climate, marked by very warm summers and cold winters. Conditions are wetter in the Northern Rhône, with around 710 millimeters (28 inches) of rainfall annually in Orange, compared with 830 millimeters (33 inches) annually in Lyon. Rain is also more frequent in the north than the south.

If there is one element of terroir that the Northern Rhône and the Southern Rhône share, it’s the powerful wind known as the mistral (occasionally referred to as la bise in the north). It’s a cold, dry wind, caused by a combination of high pressure in the Bay of Biscay and low pressure in the Gulf of Genoa, bringing cold air from the north. It’s channeled down the Rhône Valley toward the Mediterranean and can reach speeds of over 100 kilometers (60 miles) per hour. The Southern Rhône has around 100 days of mistral winds. The wind events peak in November through April, but the mistral is very impactful during the summer. During the growing season, there is a 20% chance of gale-force winds. Overall, the mistral is considered beneficial, as it usually blows after rainfall, drying out the vineyards and helping prevent vineyard diseases. One downside (apart from brutal conditions for vignerons during winter pruning) is that it can be powerful enough to break vines and their échalas.

The climate has changed in the Rhône Valley over the past 50 years. Data collected since 1970 shows that all major stages of the cycle of the vine (budbreak, flowering, veraison, and harvest) are starting increasingly earlier. Budbreak for Grenache in the Southern Rhône, for example, now occurs 15 days earlier than it did in 1970. This can cause problems because of frost (in 2021, for example) as vines awake from their winter dormancy early, caused by warm snaps in early spring, followed by a return to cold weather. Additionally, there is less rain during the growing season, and there are more very hot days (over 35 degrees Celsius, or 95 degrees Fahrenheit). The overall effect is lower acidity, higher potential alcohol levels at harvest, and smaller berries.

In the short term, vignerons react by irrigating their vines or adding tartaric acid to their wines, though these strategies are generally avoided by those who favor a noninterventionist approach. Longer-term strategies include growing experimental varieties, planting on north-facing slopes, adding strategic cover crops, and planting at higher elevation. Arguably, the Rhône Valley is better positioned to withstand the effects of climate change than many other wine regions, as it has numerous grape varieties and is already known for its powerful styles of wine. But many winemakers are openly apprehensive about the future.

Rhône Valley Wine Law

The Rhône Valley is beholden to classic French wine law, which in turn follows the structures required by the European Union. This includes three tiers of requirements for wine labeling: Vin de France, Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP), and AOC. The ways that the Rhône Valley expresses these tiers are detailed below. Côtes du Rhône AOC is the most common label designation, with by far the largest volume produced. At a higher level of specificity of place and variety are 29 appellations that highlight specific communes, varieties, and growing areas; all of these will be detailed in the regional sections of this guide.

Vin de France

Wines from vineyards that are not within IGP or AOC growing areas must use the classification Vin de France. Certain producers opt out of IGP and AOC certification even if their wines could use them. Some feel that their creativity is stifled by having to adhere to so many rules; others wish to reject a system in which they do not trust or believe.

When labeling wines as Vin de France, producers can state the grape variety or varieties used, the vintage, the name of the estate, and any cuvée name, but no geographic statement is allowed. The category is popular with natural wine producers and used for a handful of excellent wines from rebel Rhône winemakers.

Indication Géographique Protégée

IGP was known (and is still referred to sometimes) as Vin de Pays until the name was updated in 2009. Like AOC wines, those classified as IGP must adhere to a cahier des charges, but IGP rules are more flexible, with a longer list of permissible grape varieties and wine styles, higher maximum yields, and much larger growing areas.

IGPs are divided into three types: regional, departmental, and zonal. Some are further delimited with territorial references, such as Méditerranée Coteaux de Montélimar IGP. Many of them overlap the AOC growing areas of the Rhône Valley, and producers frequently bottle AOC wines and IGP wines, the latter usually less expensive and often varietal.

The following IGPs can be used by some Rhône Valley estates.

Regional IGPs

Méditerranée IGP, including the territorial references Comté de Grignan and Coteaux de Montélimar
Comtés Rhodaniens IGP

Departmental IGPs

Gard IGP
Ardèche IGP, including the territorial reference Coteaux de l’Ardèche
Vaucluse IGP, including the territorial references Principauté d’Orange and Aigues
Drôme IGP, including the territorial references Comté de Grignan and Coteaux de Montélimar

Zonal IGPs

Coteaux des Baronnies IGP
Cévennes IGP
Coteaux du Pont du Gard IGP
Collines Rhodaniennes IGP

Of all the IGPs in the Rhône Valley, Collines Rhodaniennes is worthy of particular attention. The grapes grown for this classification come from an area that roughly corresponds to the Northern Rhône and Diois; as such, it’s the only IGP that reliably produces wines in a Northern Rhône style. Compared with most other IGPs, the growing area is relatively small, as are the maximum yields, at 80 hectoliters per hectare. Since many Northern Rhône winemakers believe Côtes du Rhône AOC is strongly associated with Southern Rhône wines, they often prefer to bottle under Collines Rhodaniennes IGP instead. Reds are often 100% Syrah, and whites are usually single-variety Viognier, Marsanne, or Roussanne. This category often features entry-level bottles from top producers, and the wines can be a great value.

Côtes du Rhône AOC

Planted hectares: 28,462
Hectoliters produced: 974,144
Average yield (hl/ha): 34
Volume by color: 83% red, 9% rosé, 8% white

All figures are 2024 unless otherwise noted.

Côtes du Rhône AOC covers 172 communes from Vienne in the north to beyond Avignon in the south, but the appellation is used almost exclusively for wines grown in Southern Rhône terroirs. There are 27 permitted grape varieties, including some VIFA varieties (Variétés d’Intérêt à Fins d’Adaptation, or Varieties of Interest for Adaptation Purposes), newly introduced experimental varieties. The minimum alcohol content for all wines is 11% ABV (10.5% ABV for wines grown north of Montélimar). The maximum yield is 51 hectoliters per hectare.

Permitted grape varieties for red and rosé wines:

Principal varieties: Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah
Accessory varieties: Bourboulenc, Caladoc, Carignan, Cinsault, Clairette, Clairette Rose, Counoise, Couston, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Marsanne, Marselan, Muscardin, Piquepoul Blanc, Piquepoul Noir, Roussanne, Terret Noir, Ugni Blanc, Vaccarèse, Viognier
VIFA varieties: Carignan Blanc, Floréal, Rolle, Vidoc

Reds and rosés must contain Grenache and either Syrah or Mourvèdre. Principal and complementary varieties must account for at least 60% of the blend. VIFA varieties can compose no more than 10% of the blend.

Permitted grape varieties for white wines:

Principal varieties: Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier
Accessory varieties: Piquepoul Blanc, Ugni Blanc
VIFA varieties: Carignan Blanc, Floréal, Rolle

Whites must contain mostly principal varieties, with VIFA varieties composing no more than 10% of the blend.

Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC without Geographic Name

Planted hectares: 2,672
Hectoliters produced: 82,740
Average yield (hl/ha): 31
Volume by color: 96% red, 1% rosé, 3% white

The next level up in the appellation pyramid is Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC, which may be used by 95 of the 172 communes allowed by Côtes du Rhône AOC. All of them are in the Southern Rhône.

The rules of production are slightly stricter compared with those of Côtes du Rhône AOC. The crossings Caladoc, Couston, and Marselan are not permitted at this level, though VIFA varieties are still permitted. The minimum alcohol content for all wines is 12% ABV, and the maximum yield is 44 hectoliters per hectare. Otherwise, the rules around grape varieties and blending are the same.

Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC with Geographic Name

Planted hectares: 5,335
Hectoliters produced: 165,258
Average yield (hl/ha): 31
Volume by color: 96% red, 1% rosé, 3% white

Another step up the pyramid, this category, which is sometimes referred to as named village, tightens the production criteria further. Most requirements mirror those of the standard Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC. Allowed grape varieties are the same, as are blending rules. The minimum alcohol content for all whites and rosés is still 12% ABV, but the minimum for reds rises to 12.5%. The maximum yield is reduced to 41 hectoliters per hectare.

When this layer of the pyramid was established, all the vineyards of a given commune were generally allowed to use the appellation. Today, most often, only the best vineyards of a commune will be allowed to do so. It’s also possible that a discrete terroir, which is usually demarcated along soil lines and spread across several communes, can be promoted to this level, as with Côtes du Rhône Villages Plan de Dieu AOC.

There are 21 villages or terroirs that can use this designation and append the name of their village to the appellation. (Laudun is still pending so not included in this total.) More are likely to be added in the future. When new crus are established, they tend to be taken from this group, causing the number to fluctuate.

Most named villages are permitted to make wine in all three colors, though the tendency more recently has been to restrict color variations to those considered most traditional or typical.

The list below contains all current named villages. If colors are restricted, this is noted in parentheses.

Chusclan (red and rosé)
Gadagne (red)
Massif d’Uchaux (red)
Nyons (red)
Plan de Dieu (red)
Puyméras (red)
Roaix
Rochegude
Rousset-les-Vignes
Sablet
Saint-Andéol (red)
Saint-Gervais
Saint-Maurice
Saint-Pantaléon-les-Vignes
Sainte-Cécile (red)
Séguret
Signargues (red)
Suze-la-Rousse (red)
Vaison-la-Romaine (red)
Valréas
Visan

Some of these named villages have a more discernible terroir expression than others. The sandy soils of Sablet, for example, yield reds and whites with relative lightness, finesse, and fine tannins. The banks of galets roulés in Gadagne and Signargues produce potent, muscular reds. Plan de Dieu is an alluvial terroir in the central Vaucluse that also produces reds with heft and power. The reds of Massif d’Uchaux, a vast, wooded hill just north of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, are medium-bodied, with piquant red-berry flavors.

The Grapes of the Rhône Valley

The Rhône Valley is driven by its diversity of planted varieties, especially in the south. Plantings of reds are dominated by Grenache and Syrah, which amount to 85% of the total of all red grapes, but other cultivars can be useful in a blend and contribute to the wines’ unique sense of place.

Red Grapes

Grenache (35,671 ha): By far the most prevalent red grape in the Rhône Valley is Grenache, accounting for over 50% of total red plantings. It’s only planted in the Southern Rhône, and, like so many grapes here, it originated elsewhere—possibly Sardinia (it is the same grape as Cannonau, which is widely planted there) or, more likely, Spain. Grenache was established in the Southern Rhône by the 19^th century and is well suited to the region’s hot, dry conditions. The grape is planted throughout the Southern Rhône but is especially important in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It is mostly grown for dry wines but is also used for sweet Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel.

Grenache is traditionally grown as a self-supporting bush vine, but it is also trained on wires (Guyot or cordon de Royat) to aid mechanization. It’s resistant to trunk diseases and can be very long-lived; centenarian vines are not uncommon. Grenache is prone to coulure, however, which can severely affect yields. It’s also sensitive to downy mildew and botrytis.

Grenache has naturally low levels of polyphenolic compounds, which in greater amounts help prevent oxidation. Winemakers must be careful in the cellar—minimizing racking, for example—to protect Grenache wines against contact with air. Otherwise, the grape’s already pale color can take on a brownish tinge and the wines can lose freshness.

Grenache wines are rarely deep in color. Acidity levels are moderate, and tannic structures vary depending on the terroir, but Grenache is not a very tannic variety. One challenge of Rhône Valley Grenache is that, by the time the grapes are physiologically ripe, they often have high levels of sugar, resulting in elevated alcohol levels. Blending with lower-alcohol varieties, such as Cinsault, can counteract this tendency. While Grenache does not always produce the most structured wines, they can be very long-lived.

Bush vine in Gigondas (Credit: Christophe Grilhé for Inter Rhône)

Syrah (23,518 ha): Syrah is the dominant red grape variety of the Northern Rhône. Although rare in practice, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, and Hermitage can include a small amount of Marsanne or Roussanne, or both. Côte-Rôtie can include up to 20% Viognier, and this addition is more commonly practiced. Syrah, a natural crossing between Mondeuse Blanche and Dureza, likely originated in the Northern Rhône. An unusually adaptable variety, it has since spread around the world. It arrived in Châteauneuf-du-Pape in 1830, gradually reached the rest of the Southern Rhône, and went farther afield from there.

A vigorous variety, Syrah needs physical supports. In the north, échalas are used; in the south, vines are more commonly trained on wires. Syrah is prone to botrytis, but the main concern today is Syrah decline (dépérissement de la Syrah). This disease, first noticed in Languedoc in the 1990s, is a fatal ailment that causes reddening of the leaves, followed by swelling and splitting of the trunk, typically around the graft union. There is currently no cure, but it appears that certain clones are considerably more susceptible than others, underlining the importance of careful clonal selection when establishing new vineyards.

Syrah vs. Serine

Northern Rhône winemakers occasionally refer not to Syrah but to Serine or Petite Serine. This is an ancient, preclonal Syrah that developed in and around Côte-Rôtie. Genetically, Serine and Syrah are the same, but Serine has a distinctive physiology after centuries of selection by growers. Some winemakers, such as Agnès Levet, say that their vineyards are exclusively planted with Serine rather than Syrah; she says that the bunches are longer, the olive-shaped berries are less tightly packed than those of Syrah, and the wines have a spicier flavor. But there is no consensus, even in Côte-Rôtie, as to whether Serine is really any different from normal Syrah. Other winemakers say that it’s simply the local name for Syrah.

In the winery, Syrah is prone to reduction, the production of sulfur compounds during fermentation that can lead to off-aromas. In small amounts, reduction can add smoky notes and complexity, but larger amounts of sulfur compounds can smell rubbery or tarry and can dominate a wine’s expression. To minimize reduction, it is crucial to ensure adequate contact with air during or after fermentation, or both, typically through délestage (rack and return) and racking during maturation in barrel. This is one reason Syrah is usually aged in small- and medium-sized oak barrels, which provide some oxygen ingress.

Syrah wines are darkly colored, with a purple tint. In the Northern Rhône, Syrah usually produces wines with moderate to high acidity and strong, sometimes rigid, tannic structures. The wines can be aromatically complex, with notes of wood smoke, black olive, blackberry, violet, and smoky bacon.

Another aromatic marker commonly associated with Syrah is black pepper, resulting from the naturally occurring compound rotundone, which is highly prevalent in Syrah grapes. Rotundone is in all “peppery” plants, including black peppercorns, oregano, and rosemary, as well as other grape varieties, in differing concentrations, such as Durif, Gamay, Vespolina, and Grüner Veltliner—but it is by far most prevalent in Syrah. It is likely that the buildup of rotundone in grapes results from a combination of factors, including length of time between veraison and harvest, bunch exposure to sunlight, specific clone type, and vine age. As a result, it is difficult for growers and winemakers to control it. Since the onset of climate change, however, pepperiness in Northern Rhône Syrah has become less common, as the buildup and retention of rotundone in Syrah are minimized by warmer growing conditions.

In the Southern Rhône, while Syrah produces wines with fewer floral and spice notes, the grape brings welcome tannin, acidity, and color to Grenache. But as the Southern Rhône warms, Syrah is falling out of favor.

Carignan Noir (4,104 ha): The Rhône Valley might be famous for the GSM blend (composed of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre), but Carignan is the third most widely planted red grape. It’s another import from Spain, most likely Aragon. Carignan is widespread throughout the Southern Rhône, especially Cairanne and Rasteau, but it is not permitted in certain AOCs, including Gigondas and Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Because Carignan can be very productive, its yields must be tightly controlled. In blends, it provides intense color, strong acidity, and bold tannins—all of which can be lacking in Grenache. Old vines are prized, as they result in naturally lower yields. Resistant to heat and drought, Carignan is increasingly well suited to the Southern Rhône.

Mourvèdre (2,871 ha): Mourvèdre was originally introduced to Provence from the Camp de Morvedre [sic] area of Valencia in the 16^th century; there, it is called Monastrell. Mourvèdre’s heartland is still Bandol, on the Provence coast, but it has been rapidly embraced by the Southern Rhône, where it performs brilliantly, enjoying the extended periods of heat and sun that the area provides. Because Mourvèdre needs access to water, it’s less forgiving than Grenache when it comes to site selection. As vignerons plan for climate change, Mourvèdre is gaining significant popularity.

Late budding and late ripening, Mourvèdre produces wines with deep color, firm acidity, and a strong tannic base. Alcohol levels are typically generous but lower than those of Grenache. Aromas tend toward blue and black fruits, with notes of blackberry, blueberry, violet, and fresh earth, becoming complex and gamy with age. Varietal Mourvèdre wines remain very rare in the Rhône Valley.

Cinsault (2,215 ha): Cinsault was once considered lacking in complexity and power, but it is increasingly admired for its juiciness, finesse, and low alcohol. It hails from the South of France (either Languedoc or the Rhône Valley) and is at home in hot, dry conditions. Cinsault is often used for rosés as well as reds, and it is particularly widely planted in Tavel.

The variety produces big bunches of large berries with thin skins and lots of juice, resulting in wines with relatively pale colors and subtle, tealike tannins. Because Cinsault can suffer from esca, old vines are relatively rare compared with Grenache. The best examples of pure Cinsault currently hail from South Africa, whose winemakers are, for now at least, more adept than those of France at bringing out its full potential.

Marselan (1,025 ha): By far the most popular of the three crossings permitted in Côtes du Rhône AOC wines (the others are Caladoc and Couston, discussed below), Marselan is a crossing of Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon. It was produced in Montpellier, France, in 1961 by Paul Truel, an ampelographer who worked at Domaine de Vassal, a viticultural research post belonging to the Institut national de recherche agronomique. Truel worked here from 1954 to 1985, creating over a dozen new grape varieties.

Marselan is appreciated by growers for its resistance to botrytis, coulure, and powdery mildew. It produces wines with a very dark color, marked acidity, and concentrated red and black berry flavors. It’s late to ripen and prone to green, herbal notes if not fully ripe. Marselan has been enthusiastically adopted by the Chinese wine industry and is prevalent in Ningxia.

Caladoc (237 ha): Caladoc is another crossing with Grenache, this time with Côt (Malbec), developed in Montpellier by Truel in 1958. With Caladoc, Truel intended to create a grape variety resistant to coulure, and he was successful. Caladoc is also resistant to drought, botrytis, and powdery mildew. It produces wines that are dark in color, full-bodied, and powerfully tannic, and it is used for both red and rosé production.

Counoise (140 ha): Counoise is cultivated in small amounts throughout the Southern Rhône, mostly in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where it’s gaining in popularity, notably at Château de Beaucastel, which has made examples with strong aging potential.

Counoise has been grown in the Southern Rhône for at least four centuries. It is well adapted to hot and stony terroirs, where it produces wines that are relatively pale in color, with a peppery note and subtle tannins. Good acidity and moderate alcohol make it a useful blending component with Grenache. Plantings are likely to increase.

Muscat à Petits Grains Noirs (101 ha): There are two areas that grow plentiful Muscat in the Rhône Valley: Beaumes-de-Venise and Diois, where it is used in sparkling Clairette de Die. Most of this is Muscat à Petits Grains Blancs, but the grape readily mutates in the vineyard from white to red, into Muscat à Petits Grains Noirs. Given that Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise can be produced in all three colors, the Noirs variant is not discouraged (there’s less in Diois). The red grape has grapey aromatics similar to those of its white counterpart, with some additional red-fruit flavors and light tannins.

Couston (20 ha): The least prevalent of the three crossings permitted in Côtes du Rhône AOC, Couston is a natural crossing of Grenache and Aubun that was discovered by Julien Couston in the early 1970s. It’s resistant to coulure but needs abundant water during the growing season. Wines from Couston tend to be dark in color, full-bodied, and very tannic, and they are often very high in alcohol.

Other Red Grapes: Gamay, at 20 hectares (50 acres), and Pinot Noir, at 9 hectares (22 acres), are used only in Diois. The Southern Rhône grows even more red varieties that assist in its long-standing tradition of blending. These grapes are rarely used in monovarietal examples. Piquepoul (16 hectares, or 40 acres) comes in three colors: blanc, gris, and noir. It produces relatively pale wines with good acidity. Muscardin (14 hectares, or 35 acres) is grown almost exclusively in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where it yields fairly pale wines with strong tannic structure and acidity, with musky spice and floral notes. Vaccarèse (14 hectares, or 35 acres) produces midweight, structured wines with juniper and violet notes. Terret Noir (5 hectares, or 12 acres), originally from Languedoc, was once valued for its high yields. It is pale in color, with notable structure but often rustic tannins.

As Rhône Valley producers consider their future in a rapidly changing climate, there’s an increasing interest in VIFA varieties. Vidoc is being introduced for its resistance to powdery mildew, downy mildew, and botrytis. It demonstrates spicy aromas and high alcohol and is more commonly used for rosé than for red wine. Montepulciano is being trialed in Costières de Nîmes AOC for its resistance to spring frost (it’s late budding) and suitability to hot climates. Morrastel (Graciano) was once widespread in Languedoc. Experiments with the grape are happening in Costières de Nîmes AOC, where it has been selected for its drought resistance and low alcohol.

White and Pink Grapes

Among white varieties, six grapes (Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Muscat à Petits Grains Blancs, Clairette Blanche, Roussanne, and Marsanne) make up 84% of plantings—contrasting with just two (Grenache and Syrah) composing the same percentage of red plantings.

Grenache Blanc (2,060 ha): Grenache Blanc is the most planted of all white and pink grapes in the Rhône Valley, with 21% of all plantings, and it’s widely dispersed throughout the south. This is by far its most important growing region worldwide. Some Grenache Blanc is cultivated in Spain (where it originated) and Roussillon, and a small amount in California and South Africa. There is very little elsewhere.

Alone, Grenache Blanc produces wines that are full-bodied and rich in glycerol, with high alcohol and moderate acidity. It is a texture-driven grape variety, with a neutrality that allows more characterful varieties in the blend to shine. Grenache Blanc is mostly used to produce still, dry wines in the Rhône Valley, but it is also used to make sweet Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel.

Viognier (1,549 ha): The next most planted white grape in the Rhône Valley is Viognier. It likely originated in Condrieu or nearby. It is a parent of Mondeuse Blanche, which means that it is either a half-sibling or grandparent of Syrah, and it is also related to Nebbiolo, reflected by its close genetic relationship to Freisa.

Viognier is early budding and early ripening. It’s aromatically distinctive, producing wines with exuberant peach and apricot scents. In Condrieu, jasmine, violet, almond, and ginger are also common. It is typically full-bodied, with mild acidity and generous alcohol. Identifying the picking date with precision is the key to retaining Viognier’s freshness and drinkability. With these characteristics in mind, winemakers are increasingly reducing lees stirring and maturation in new oak barriques when working with the grape.

In the Southern Rhône, where Viognier can be richer, it is typically used as a blending component, adding aromatics and textural richness.

Viognier is mostly used in the production of still, dry wines, but a very small amount of sweet Condrieu is still made (permitted under the rules of the AOC). Up to 20% Viognier can be used in the reds of Côte-Rôtie AOC, but in practice more than 10% is unusual. Historically, Viognier was blended into Syrah in Côte-Rôtie to bolster body and alcohol levels in weak vintages, add aromatic complexity, and stabilize color.

Muscat à Petits Grains Blancs (1,480 ha): There are many grapes whose names include Muscat, but Muscat à Petits Grains Blancs is considered one of the best. It’s early ripening, with smaller berries than most other Muscats. It likely originated in Italy or Greece, but it has been grown in Beaumes-de-Venise AOC for over two millennia. Here, it creates full-bodied, still, sweet wines. They are usually white, but rosé and red Muscats are also allowed under the appellation Beaumes-de-Venise. Although delicious when young, thanks to flavors of fresh grape, orange-flower water, honeysuckle, and apricot, the best examples can last for decades, taking on butterscotch and dried-fruit aromas as they develop.

The majority of Muscat à Petits Grains Blancs in the Rhône Valley is grown for sparkling wine, mostly the low-alcohol, sweet white Clairette de Die (it makes up a minimum of 75% of the blend) and dry Crémant de Die (maximum 10% of the blend).

Clairette Blanche (1,336 ha): In the Southern Rhône, where blending dominates, there is only one white grape that is often bottled varietally, and that is Clairette Blanche, usually referred to simply as Clairette. There are two appellations, albeit small, that require varietal Clairette: Clairette de Bellegarde and Coteaux de Die. Gigondas AOC blanc can also be 100% Clairette (a minimum of 70% is stipulated).

Although likely to originate in Languedoc, Clairette thrives in the hot, dry Southern Rhône. Its name refers to the tiny white hairs on the undersides of its leaves that reflect the light. Many winemakers appreciate the grape for its innate freshness, which tends to present itself in an aromatic, floral lift. Clairette yields full-bodied wines, and its acidity is moderate at best. Even so, wines made from Clairette can age remarkably well.

Mostly used for dry, still whites, Clairette is also grown in Diois for sparkling wines. Crémant de Die must contain at least 55%; Clairette de Die is limited (somewhat confusingly) to a maximum of 25% Clairette Blanche or Clairette Rose, or both.

Roussanne (1,164 ha): Roussanne is among the few white grape varieties that produce excellent wines in cool, moderate, and hot climates. It originated in the Northern Rhône and spread to the hotter Southern Rhône and the cooler Savoie (where it’s known as Bergeron), and it can make excellent wines in all three. Roussanne is also grown in small amounts in South Africa, Australia, and the US.

In the Northern Rhône, all crus south of Condrieu that produce white wine use Marsanne, Roussanne, or a blend of both. Roussanne is planted across the Southern Rhône, with large quantities in Costières de Nîmes, Ventoux, and Luberon. It is usually blended but sometimes bottled varietally, especially in Châteauneuf-du-Pape (where Marsanne is not permitted). Like Marsanne, Roussanne thrives on poor, stony soils and is susceptible to powdery mildew and botrytis. Its yields are inconsistent compared with those of Marsanne, however, and Roussanne is also more prone to fungal diseases, perhaps explaining Marsanne’s prevalence in the Northern Rhône.

The name Roussanne refers to the red- or russet-colored freckles that the grapes develop as they ripen. Roussanne is genetically related to Marsanne, and both grapes produce medium- to full-bodied, texturally rich, medium-acidity wines. Roussanne tends to yield white fruit flavors (pear, lychee) and white flower aromas, while Marsanne produces yellow fruit flavors (apricot, peach, mango) and yellow flower aromas (honeysuckle) and becomes nuttier with age.

Roussanne is mostly used for still, dry wines, but it also appears either with or without Marsanne in sparkling Saint-Péray. It is used for sweet white Hermitage Vin de Paille as well.

Marsanne (872 ha): While Roussanne spread far and wide from its Northern Rhône heartland, Marsanne is more of a homebody. Although it grows in the Southern Rhône, it doesn’t thrive in the warmer climate, and varietal Marsanne wines in the south are rare. Marsanne is mostly planted in Costières de Nîmes, Grignan-les-Adhémar, and Côtes du Vivarais. Elsewhere, there are limited Marsanne plantings in Switzerland (where the grape is known as Hermitage or Ermitage), and even smaller amounts in California and Australia.

Like Roussanne, Marsanne is mostly used for still, dry wines, but it can appear with or without Roussanne in sparkling Saint-Péray. It is also used for sweet white Hermitage Vin de Paille.

Rolle (619 ha): Rolle (otherwise known as Vermentino, though the EU gave ownership of that name to the Italians in 2022) is a white grape that’s grown widely around the Mediterranean, particularly southern France, northern Italy, Corsica, and Sardinia.

Until 2023, only four Rhône Valley appellations—Luberon, Costières de Nîmes, Ventoux, and Duché d’Uzès—were permitted to use Rolle, and, of these four, Luberon had embraced it most closely. In 2024, Rolle was also listed as a VIFA variety permitted for limited use in Côtes du Rhône AOC and Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC.

Rolle crops inconsistently, but it’s popular for the style of wine it creates. While most Rhône whites are medium- to full-bodied, with low to moderate acidity and high alcohol, Rolle is different. Although it can be made successfully in a richer style, it can also produce a lighter, brisker, fresher style. Flavor-wise, Rolle offers plentiful citrus, pineapple, and pear. It takes well to oak aging, which adds body and spice. It is a very promising grape that could in time be more broadly accepted in other Rhône Valley appellations.

Ugni Blanc (458 ha): Ugni Blanc, also known as Trebbiano Toscano, is mostly planted in Luberon, where up to 50% is allowed in white wines. Elsewhere in the Rhône Valley, its use is more restricted. Ugni Blanc is a rot-resistant, vigorous variety that produces large bunches of small berries and ripens late. Although its aromatics are subtle, it is valued for its acidity and freshness.

Bourboulenc (244 ha): While it composes only 2% of plantings of white and pink grape varieties in the Rhône Valley, Bourboulenc is an important grape to know. It appears to originate in Vaucluse. Its name likely comes from Barbolenquiera, the name of an old vineyard in Aubignan, near Beaumes-de-Venise. Bourboulenc is rarely seen outside the Rhône Valley.

Bourboulenc ripens late but is resistant to botrytis because of its thick skins. Since it retains its acidity and has an energetic profile, it is well suited to blends. It’s rarely made as a varietal wine. Domaine de Saint-Siffrein Châteauneuf-du-Pape Le Berlou is one Rhône Valley example; Tablas Creek in Paso Robles also makes a varietal Bourboulenc. Both are excellent, showing the potential of this little-known variety.

Clairette Rose (87 ha): Clairette Rose is a pink-skinned natural mutation of Clairette Blanche. Small parcels are dotted around Côtes du Rhône, with the majority in the appellations of Châteauneuf-du Pape, Ventoux, Tavel, and Lirac. It is also permitted in Clairette de Die in small quantities. Clairette Rose is stylistically similar to Clairette Blanche but has a more pronounced floral aroma.

Grenache Gris (34 ha): Grenache Gris is the pink-skinned version of Grenache Noir and is minimally planted in the Rhône Valley, mostly around Côtes du Rhône and in Costières de Nîmes. It’s vinified primarily for rosé, as use in white-wine appellations is inexplicably restricted. Grenache Gris shares many viticultural characteristics with Grenache Noir: drought and wind resistant, prone to coulure. It produces wines with breadth and fullness, generous alcohol, and low acidity but a good sense of tension, which Grenache Blanc can lack. It is mostly used for dry wines but permitted in all three colors of Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel.

Piquepoul Blanc (34 ha): Piquepoul Blanc is mostly planted in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Lirac, and Tavel, but it might be poised for renewed interest following selection as a VIFA grape in April 2025 for trial in Costières de Nîmes AOC. Of the three colors of Piquepoul (blanc, gris, and noir), the white version is the most prevalent. It is planted around Côtes du Rhône, where it’s allowed only as a minor blending component, but most plantings are centered around the west bank in the AOCs of Tavel, Lirac, and Laudun. Because Piquepoul Blanc thrives in hot climates, ripens late, and retains its acidity, it is a valuable blending component.

The grape is more commonly grown in Languedoc, most notably in Picpoul de Pinet AOC. It’s garnering interest in South Australia, which produces several good varietal examples that are now commercially available.

Other White Grapes: Chardonnay (32 hectares, or 79 acres) and Aligoté (28 hectares, or 69 acres) are cultivated along the Drôme River in the Northern Rhône. A color mutation of Carignan Noir, Carignan Blanc (3 hectares, or 7.5 acres) is gaining traction as a variety adapted to climate change. Macabeu (3 hectares, or 7.5 acres) is grown in small amounts in Costières de Nîmes, where it produces neutral wines with high alcohol and low acidity. Picardan (3 hectares, or 7.5 acres) is an ancient variety with large bunches and big berries that is indigenous to the South of France but now nearly extinct.

White VIFA varieties include Floréal, a hybrid selected for its resistance to downy mildew, powdery mildew, and black rot; it requires ample water. Floréal produces aromatic, floral whites. Souvignier Gris, a crossing of Seyval Blanc and Zähringer, is a pink-berried VIFA variety from Germany, created by Norbert Becker in 1983. It was selected for its resistance to downy and powdery mildew and is being trialed in Costières de Nîmes.

Northern Rhône

Harvest at Domaine Pierre Gaillard (Credit: Christophe Grilhé for Inter Rhône)

Côte-Rôtie AOC

Planted hectares: 343
Hectoliters produced: 11,752
Average yield (hl/ha): 34
Volume by color: 100% red

Côte-Rôtie, the northernmost AOC in the Northern Rhône, produces some of the finest, most transparent, and most complex renditions of the Syrah grape. The appellation contains three communes: Saint-Cyr-sur-Rhône to the north, and Ampuis and Tupin-Semons to the south. It follows the west bank of the Rhône River as it flows southwest between Vienne and Condrieu.

The vineyards of Côte-Rôtie occupy a slope between 180 meters (590 feet) and 325 meters (1,070 feet) above sea level that’s dramatically folded and corrugated, resulting in vineyards that have multiple expositions but largely face south or southeast. Because of the steepness of the slopes, the vineyards are grown on terraces that follow the contours of the hills, requiring much of the vineyard work to be done by hand, leading to some of the highest bottle prices in the Rhône.

Granite dominates in the Northern Rhône but not in Côte-Rôtie. The region contains some granite soils at its southernmost point, where it shares a border with Condrieu, but most of the appellation is composed of schist, particularly in the northern part, with significant outcrops of gneiss to the south (there is gneiss and schist on the opposite sides as well). The main meeting point of the schist to the north and the gneiss to the south is around the lieu-dit La Côte Blonde. The main granite lieux-dits are Corps de Loup, Coteaux de Bassenon, Maisons Blanches, and part of Maison Rouge.

These soil types impact the resulting wines. The more southerly gneiss soils (and the granite section, too, in practice) are locally referred to as blonde soils because of their pale color. Wines produced from these sites are described as highly aromatic, with notes of rose, cedar, incense, and tobacco, and with lighter tannic structures, making them ready to drink sooner. The darker schistose soils are called brune (brown or brunette) soils. These yield more robust wines, with firmer tannins that take longer to develop, and contain flavors of darker fruit.

The slopes of Côte-Rôtie have been cultivated for at least two millennia. The wines of Vienne were mentioned by Pliny the Elder, who wrote in Natural History, in roughly 77 CE, that wines were already being made here by a tribe called the Allobroges. The slopes were slow to be replanted after phylloxera, and by 1973 there were just 72 hectares (178 acres) in production. Since then, the wines have once again gained renown, in part thanks to the driving force of the Guigal family.

The impact and significance of the négociant house E. Guigal is hard to overstate. Located in the heart of Ampuis, it was founded in 1946 by Étienne Guigal. When he became temporarily blind in 1961, his son Marcel took over the management of the company. Unusually for a business of this size, the family remains directly involved in the winemaking process. Marcel’s son, Philippe, is the chief winemaker, and Marcel is still involved in day-to-day operations. Today, the house produces 8.5 million bottles annually and owns 152 hectares (376 acres) of vineyards, 40 hectares (99 acres) of which are in Côte-Rôtie. Its success has allowed it to acquire numerous other properties, including the neighboring négociant house Vidal-Fleury; Domaine de Bonserine, in Côte-Rôtie; Château de Nalys, in Châteauneuf-du-Pape; and Château d’Aqueria, in Tavel.

Domaine E. Guigal is best known for its role in catapulting the wines of the Northern Rhône toward luxury territory. Beginning in the 1960s, Guigal introduced the La-Las, single-site wines aged for around 42 months in 100% new French oak: La Mouline (the first vintage was 1966), La Landonne (1978), and La Turque (1985). La Reynarde will join the famed La-Las starting with the 2022 vintage.

Côte-Rôtie is an exclusively red-wine appellation, and the only red variety permitted is Syrah. Up to 20% Viognier can be co-planted in the vineyards. Historically, Viognier’s generous alcohol levels helped bolster weak vintages, and its floral notes combine well with those of the Syrah grown here, which often has aromas of violet. Viognier also plays an important role in color stabilization.

Côte-Rôtie is almost always aged in barrel, typically for between 12 and 24 months, sometimes longer. The new oak barriques that were fashionable from the 1990s to 2010s are increasingly making way for more traditional demi-muids of either 500 or 600 liters, and less new oak is being used than in the past. Whole-bunch fermentation, which can add structure, increase freshness, and reduce alcohol levels, is also increasing in popularity.

The wines of Côte-Rôtie can be very long-lived; 15 to 20 years is common, and some continue to drink well at 50 years. They can also be delicious young, around 4 years of age, and are often in a sweet spot between 10 and 20 years. The best examples are among the finest wines in the world.

There are 73 official lieux-dits in the appellation, and, while it has long been traditional to blend across different parcels to create a unified vision of the terroir, many producers also create single-vineyard expressions. There are benefits to both approaches. Not all single vineyards excel every year, so creating a blend can lead to a more balanced, complete wine. But single-vineyard wines are more limited in production, creating scarcity and justifying higher prices. These, in turn, can elevate prices of other wines in a producer’s range.

Although there is no official classification of Côte-Rôtie lieux-dits, some are considered better than others. The following are broadly considered among the most desirable:

La Côte Brune: While the entire northern, schistose side of the appellation is sometimes referred to as La Côte Brune, and the southern gneiss half as La Côte Blonde, there are also individual lieux-dits with these names in the heart of Ampuis. La Côte Brune is a large, steep lieu-dit, much of which is south facing, composed of schist. It is the source of reliably complete and harmonious Côte-Rôtie wines of the highest quality. Single-vineyard expressions include Domaine Jean-Paul Jamet, Domaine Rostaing, and Domaine E. Guigal’s La Turque.

La Côte Blonde: Just south of the lieu-dit La Côte Brune is the lieu-dit La Côte Blonde. It’s a steep slope comprising intricate terraces built on both gneiss and schist, facing south and southeast. The typical style is highly fragrant and very fine and lithe. Top single-vineyard bottlings include Domaine Stéphane Ogier, Domaine Rostaing, and Domaine E. Guigal’s La Mouline.

Lancement: Lancement is situated high above the lieu-dit La Côte Blonde, with similar soils. Its wines offer perfume and depth. Top examples are made by Domaine Stéphane Ogier and Domaine Garon.

La Landonne: North of Ampuis, this well-known lieu-dit is a triangular slice of hillside that faces southeast. La Landonne is vertiginously sloping and has schist soils with red stains from iron deposits. Its assertive, strongly tannic wines aren’t always well balanced by themselves. Excellent examples are made by Domaine Xavier Gérard, Domaine Rostaing, and Domaine E. Guigal.

La Viallière: Farther north than La Landonne is La Viallière, a schistous, midslope lieu-dit that produces wines with aromas of violet and ink, and with very fine tannins. Top examples include those from Domaine Rostaing and Domaine Clusel-Roch.

Les Grandes Places: This rocky site consists of steep outcrops of mica and schist with inflections of iron. Notable wind, a result of elevation and position, is a unique characteristic of this lieu-dit. The wines of Domaine Clusel-Roch and Jean-Michel Gerin are the standard-bearers of the vineyard.

Other notable lieux-dits include Côte Rozier, Chavaroche, Fongeant, and Coteaux de Tupin.

Condrieu AOC

Planted hectares: 221
Hectoliters produced: 7,167
Average yield (hl/ha): 32
Volume by color: 100% white

Directly south of Côte-Rôtie is Condrieu. The two share a border, and, to the naked eye, the terrain is similar from one to the next: steep, often terraced slopes of vines grown on stakes. Condrieu, however, is 100% white and always pure Viognier.

The original appellation, established in 1940, covered just three villages: Condrieu, Vérin, and Saint-Michel-sur-Rhône. Here, the bedrock is composed of dark biotite granite with some lighter muscovite granite at each end. Many of the best parcels, such as the lieu-dit Vernon, have a coarse, sandy topsoil known locally as arzelle that is made of decomposed granite and mica. In 1967, multiple small islands of land to the south were added to the appellation, in the communes of Chavanay, Saint-Pierre-de-Boeuf, Malleval, and Limony. These are more geologically diverse, largely featuring types of granite and migmatite with some outcrops of gneiss and loess.

Whether these additional terroirs are the equal of the original slopes is debatable, but, during this period of expansion, the appellation was struggling following the ravages of phylloxera and two world wars. Although today Viognier is planted around the world, it had nearly become extinct by 1965, with just 8 hectares (20 acres) remaining in the village of Condrieu—at this point, it wasn’t found anywhere else. Thanks to the hard work of Condrieu winemakers, spearheaded by the indefatigable Georges Vernay, the hillsides of Condrieu were replanted and the variety rescued from the brink.

Today, Condrieu is almost exclusively dry. Sweet Condrieu, typically with 60 to 80 grams of residual sugar per liter, is permitted in the AOC, but very few producers make it. Notable examples include those of Xavier Gérard and Yves Cuilleron.

Condrieu shows the exuberant, heady aromatics of Viognier in youth, but the best examples demonstrate a freshness and a salinity that bring balance. These elements, when present, also give the wine its ability to develop in bottle, with toasty gingerbread notes emerging over time. In a warming climate, most winemakers are doing what they can to accentuate freshness and acidity. As such, lees stirring and new oak barriques are falling out of favor, though some degree of oak aging remains commonplace. Blocking malolactic fermentation is still relatively rare.

Château-Grillet AOC

Château-Grillet AOC (Credit: Christophe Grilhé for Inter Rhône)

Planted hectares: 3.5
Hectoliters produced: 96
Average yield (hl/ha): 26
Volume by color: 100% white

The tiny domaine of Château-Grillet, straddling the communes of Saint-Michel-sur-Rhône and Vérin, at the heart of Condrieu AOC, was awarded its own appellation in 1936. At the time, if an estate had a property designated as a château (a building with at least two turrets) and vineyards in one single block around the property, it could apply for its own appellation. The owners did exactly that, and thus this monopole was created.

Château-Grillet owns just 3.5 hectares (8.5 acres) of Viognier grapes, which are grown in a south-facing amphitheater of biotite granite, with 104 tight terraces that begin at 150 meters (490 feet) above sea level and end at 250 meters (820 feet). The estate itself is ancient, with château records dating it to the early 1600s. Its historic fame was such that in 1787 it attracted a visit by Thomas Jefferson, the future US president. From 1827 to 2011, it was owned by the Neyret-Gachet family. It was then sold to the French businessman François Pinault, and it is now part of his Artémis Domaines portfolio of wineries. On purchasing the estate, Pinault converted it to biodynamics and introduced two cuvées, a declassified Côtes du Rhône AOC and a Condrieu named La Carthery, made from a newly purchased 0.25-hectare (0.6-acre) parcel of Condrieu that borders Château-Grillet at the top of the amphitheater.

The rules of production for Château-Grillet AOC are similar to those of Condrieu AOC, with 100% Viognier required for the wines. Some rules are tighter, however. For example, Château-Grillet has slightly lower maximum yields (37 hectoliters per hectare versus 41 hectoliters per hectare). Also, it must be vinified dry and sold in a fluted Alsace-style bottle known as vin du Rhin.

Compared with typical Condrieu wines, those of Château-Grillet display a marked tension and salinity—perhaps because of the estate’s south-facing slope—and they have a rare longevity.

Saint-Joseph AOC

Planted hectares: 1,415
Hectoliters produced: 50,689
Average yield (hl/ha): 36
Volume by color: 86% red, 14% white

While some Northern Rhône appellations represent a single village or terroir, such as Cornas or Hermitage, Saint-Joseph covers a thin, 50-kilometer (30-mile) stretch of the west bank, from Condrieu to Saint-Péray. It encompasses many of the small but high-quality south- and southeast-facing slopes on this immense block of Massif Central granite. (There are small outcrops of limestone, gneiss, loess, and alluvial soils, too, in the appellation.)

Like Condrieu, Saint-Joseph started small but was extended. When the appellation was established, in 1956, it included six communes (Glun, Mauves, Tournon-sur-Rhône, Lemps, Saint-Jean-de-Muzols, and Vion) just over the river from the hill of Hermitage. Mauves and Tournon-sur-Rhône, their vineyards grown on an atypically coarse-grained type of granite called granite de Tournon, had long been famous for the quality of their wines. In the Middle Ages, vin de Tournon was praiseworthy enough to be supplied to King François I. The appellation was extended, mostly northward, in 1969, adding another 20 communes.

Mauves, Saint-Jean-de-Muzols, and Tournon-sur-Rhône contain the top terroirs in the AOC. Mauves is known for tension-driven Syrah wines grown on its firm granite soils, and Saint-Jean-de-Muzols’s decomposed granites and vineyard aspects create structured and savory wines. Tournon-sur-Rhône’s inflections of clay and galets yield powerful expressions of Saint-Joseph that are among the best Syrah wines of the Rhône Valley.

Saint-Joseph reds are usually pure Syrah (they can include up to 10% Marsanne or Roussanne, or both, but in practice the reds are monovarietal). Whites can be made with Marsanne, Roussanne, or both; in 2024, 67% of white plantings were Marsanne.

The grapes grown at the northern end of the appellation take about a week longer to ripen than those on the southern side, and stylistically the wines of the north are lighter and more fragrant than the robust wines of the south.

The best slopes are as difficult to work as those of Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage, but, because of its size and relatively varied terroir, Saint-Joseph doesn’t have the same reputation; as a result, these wines are considerably less expensive. There are some exceptional terroirs in the appellation, though, resulting in the best Saint-Joseph wines often representing excellent value for money.

Cornas AOC

Planted hectares: 164
Hectoliters produced: 4,938
Average yield (hl/ha): 30
Volume by color: 100% red

Although considered through much of the late 1900s as a more rustic alternative to Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage, Cornas has largely been freed of this image and taken its rightful place as the equal of these other great Northern Rhône crus.

Like many of the most challenging terroirs in the Rhône Valley, Cornas was slowly rebuilt after phylloxera and both world wars. Because the Cornas hillside is so hard to work—it’s rumpled, steep, and difficult—most holdings were, and still are, under 10 hectares (25 acres). When prices were low, families couldn’t rely on selling wine alone to make a living. Because most estates were run on a part-time, semiprofessional basis alongside other jobs, modern winemaking techniques arrived here slightly later, hence the reputation for rusticity.

Most of Cornas is situated on heavily weathered, coarse-grained granite called gore. Geologically, the appellation can be viewed as three zones: granite interspersed with limestone in the north; gneiss, clay, and gore in the center; and decomposed, sandy granite in the south. Wines must be 100% Syrah. The best terroirs are on the slope that rises immediately behind the little village of Cornas, between 120 meters (390 feet) and 400 meters (1,310 feet) in elevation. It faces mainly east, with some south- and southeast-facing parcels.

Cornas wines are known for their powerful, assertive nature. They can have chiseled, serrated tannins that need time to soften. Although they don’t develop as predictably as most Hermitage wines, they tend to show well between 8 and 20 years in bottle and can take on a thrilling complexity with time. Those who enjoy Syrah wines with dramatic textures will also appreciate these within four years of bottling.

Single-vineyard wines are relatively rare in Cornas, compared with Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie, but this may change as certain top lieux-dits are increasingly appearing on labels. The greatest lieu-dit is Reynard, a south-facing amphitheater at the heart of the appellation, with parcels owned by the domaines of Clape, Farge, A & E Verset, Allemand, and Paul Jaboulet Aîné. A subsection called La Geynale is vinified by Vincent Paris. Other important lieux-dits include Chaillot, Les Mazards, La Côte, and Patou.

Chaillot: Known for producing the most powerful wines in the appellation, this hillside features a range of exposures, from east to southwest, with myriad granite expressions. Protected by trees on the northern side, the site soaks up the sun, with the higher elevations famous for the tannins of their wines.

Les Mazards: This vineyard is home to two distinct terroirs: its higher-elevation, steep granite and its flatter, lower-slope clay-limestone soils. The wines are known for their fruitiness and rounder tannins compared with those from nearby sites. Franck Balthazar, Matthieu Barret, and Vincent Paris are key producers.

Reynard: Hard gneiss and granite, with some clay, define Reynard. The site sits around 260 meters (850 feet) in elevation, with southern and southeastern exposures. Clay soils facilitate its success in drought vintages. The hillside is subdivided into multiple climats, including La Geynale, La Côte, and Tézier.

Since the original slope on which these great lieux-dits are located is now fully planted, an increasing number of winemakers are establishing vineyards high on the plateau above. This cooler, windswept, rolling landscape can produce very good wines but without the intensity and concentration of those grown on the slope.

Saint-Péray AOC

Planted hectares: 116
Hectoliters produced: 3,075
Average yield (hl/ha): 26
Volume by color: 100% white

Just south of Cornas are the Marsanne and Roussanne vineyards of Saint-Péray. This is the southernmost appellation in the Northern Rhône and reserved exclusively for white wines. As of 2024, 77% was planted to Marsanne and 23% to Roussanne. The terroir here is slightly different from that of the surrounding areas. While much of the appellation is granite, there’s also a significant outcrop of limestone.

In the early 20^th century, around 90% of Saint-Péray was sparkling. The first successful attempts at Saint-Péray mousseux were made by Maison Faure in 1829, with the help of a winemaker from Champagne, and the wines are still made in the traditional method today. The category thrived, and prices soon rivaled those of Saint-Péray’s more famous competitor.

Today, the proportions of still to sparkling are reversed, but the small amount of sparkling produced is dry and fairly rich in mouthfeel. These wines can be good, if rarely supremely elegant. The still wines, however, can be excellent and rival the best white wines of Saint-Joseph.

Hermitage AOC

Planted hectares: 136
Hectoliters produced: 3,843
Average yield (hl/ha): 28
Volume by color: 69% red, 31% white

Millions of years ago, the Rhône River gradually sliced a chunk of the Massif Central from the west bank, leaving an island of granite on the east bank. Gradually, other types of rock have fused to it, and today this is the hill of Hermitage. It forms a kink in the river where the Rhône River skirts around it, traveling briefly east before continuing south.

This hill presents its south-facing slope to the sun, sheltering the vines from the wind and creating a stunning site that appears as if it were designed for growing grapes. The top of the hill has deposits of loess, which are usually used for growing white grapes. The bottom of the hill has more clay and alluvial deposits, which yield wines with fruit and elegance, if rarely the intensity of wines from the top and middle of the slope. It’s an imposing sight, but the hill itself amounts only to 136 hectares (336 acres).

The name Hermitage (Ermitage) refers to a local legend about the knight Henri Gaspard de Stérimberg. Returning injured from the Albigensian Crusade (1209–1229), he came across the hill and wanted to stop and build a hermitage there. He made a request to Blanche de Castille, the queen of France, which she granted, and he remained there until his death. It’s said that he tended vines around the tiny Chapelle de Saint-Christophe (since rebuilt), which still sits at the top of the hill.

The wines of Hermitage quickly gained renown. Louis XIII visited in 1642, and he served the wines at his court. By the early 19^th century, prices of Hermitage equaled those of Burgundy grands crus and Bordeaux premiers crus.

Today, reds are almost always 100% Syrah, though up to 15% Roussanne or Marsanne, or both, is permitted. Red wines account for just over two-thirds of production. Whites are made from Marsanne, Roussanne, or both. In 2024, Marsanne made up most white plantings at 88%. Sweet white Hermitage Vin de Paille was a historically important style, but now it is made only by a handful of producers (including Jean-Louis Chave). All three styles can develop for decades in bottle, and the whites age as well as the reds. While white Hermitage can be drunk young, red Hermitage tends to show its best from 20 years of age.

Hermitage is divided into 20 lieux-dits. These are some of the most important, from west to east:

Les Bessards: Les Bessards is the most important lieu-dit on the granitic western flank of Hermitage, which makes up around one-fourth of the hill and is the highest part, rising to 320 meters (1,050 feet). Les Bessards produces wines with structure and backbone.

L’Hermite: L’Hermite sits in the middle of the hill’s western flank and is heavily influenced by its neighbors. The site’s granite section, around the chapel, is better for reds and has many similarities to Les Bessards, while its sandy loess section, better for whites, reflects the spirit of Le Méal. This part can deliver thrilling wines with pronounced tension, intensity, salinity, and longevity.

Le Méal: The most important lieu-dit after Les Bessards is the large, central, stony, calcareous section known as Le Méal. Although it is principally planted with Syrah, some producers, such as Chapoutier, have whites planted here, too. Both colors of wine are rich and potent.

Les Greffieux: Les Greffieux is situated underneath Le Méal at the bottom of the slope, with younger alluvial soils and clay. Its wines can be very good, though they’re not typically as interesting as those from the sites higher up. A blend from this lieu-dit, Les Bessards, and Le Méal was historically considered the traditional expression of the hill.

Maison Blanche: Eastward, in the third major section of the hill, the highest lieu-dit is Maison Blanche. It has mostly loess soils and is considered one of the best terroirs for white wines.

Les Beaumes: A thin strip of land that runs from the top of the hill all the way to the bottom, Les Beaumes contains varied soils, including some compacted stone locally known as poudingue. Wines from the foot of the hill are richer, while those from the top are fresher.

Péléat: This is a small lieu-dit at the center of the hill that produces whites with minerality. It is a core parcel for Domaine Jean-Louis Chave’s L’Hermitage blanc.

Les Rocoules: A large, midslope section just underneath Maison Blanche, Les Rocoules is mostly planted with white grapes. It produces wines with power and richness. Domaine Sorrel makes an excellent single-vineyard white Hermitage from Les Rocoules.

Les Diognières: At the foot of the slope underneath Les Rocoules, Les Diognières is geologically similar to Les Greffieux but can produce wines with finesse (if not great concentration) in the hands of producers such as Domaine Laurent Fayolle.

Crozes-Hermitage AOC

Planted hectares: 2,073
Hectoliters produced: 83,064
Average yield (hl/ha): 40
Volume by color: 89% red, 11% white

The village of Crozes invokes the name of Hermitage, but, while Hermitage is one of the smallest appellations in the Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage is the largest. Its soils are very different from those of the other Northern Rhône crus. Between the Rhône and Isère Rivers, it is based mostly on red clay and rounded pebbles, successive low terraces of which were laid down by the action of glaciers.

A much smaller section north of Hermitage is grown on granite (albeit without the same combination of aspect and elevation as Hermitage). Wines from these villages, such as Gervans, lack the amplitude and concentration of the wines from the south, instead offering purity and finesse.

Another small terroir within Crozes-Hermitage with a distinct character is Larnage. This village east of Hermitage has large deposits of white kaolin sands, which yield elegant whites and reds.

Similar to Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage reds are in practice made from 100% Syrah, but up to 15% Roussanne or Marsanne, or both, is permitted. Whites are made from Marsanne, Roussanne, or both. In 2024, Marsanne accounted for 80% of white grape plantings and Roussanne composed the remainder. Although Crozes-Hermitage can be a source of delightful and highly aromatic expressions of Northern Rhône Syrah, the wines don’t show the depth, intensity, or longevity of those from Hermitage.

Diois

The wines of Diois were welcomed into the administrative Rhône Valley family in the 1940s. The Diois vineyards are in the winding Drôme River valley, a tributary of the Rhône that flows in from the east, located between the Northern Rhône and the Southern Rhône. Although the wines made here are often based on the same grapes as those of other Rhône Valley appellations, the terroir has a more alpine influence. Vineyards are generally small and surrounded by other crops. They are planted at up to 700 meters (2,300 feet) in elevation. It is cooler and wetter here than in the Southern Rhône, and the area is shielded from the mistral.

Clairette de Die AOC

Planted hectares: 1,443
Hectoliters produced: 53,675
Average yield (hl/ha): 37
Volume by color: 100% white

This is by far the biggest appellation in Diois, with about 94% of production. Clairette de Die is an ancient style, mentioned by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History. It is made in two styles. Around 95% is méthode ancestrale. This is a sweet (minimum 35 grams of residual sugar per liter) sparkling white wine based on Muscat à Petits Grains Blancs (it can also contain up to 25% Clairette, Clairette Rose, or Muscat à Petits Grains Noirs, or all three). It is low in alcohol, around 8% ABV, and highly aromatic. The other style is méthode brut, a dry sparkling white wine made from 100% Clairette.

To produce the méthode ancestrale wines, after pressing, the juice is chilled and undergoes a long, slow fermentation using natural yeasts. Partially fermented must (4% to 5% ABV) is bottled, and the fermentation continues at low temperature. Fermentation ends at around 8% ABV, when the yeasts stop functioning because of high pressure. Malolactic fermentation does not take place. Rather than classic disgorgement, the wine is emptied into tanks where it is filtered, then rebottled.

Crémant de Die AOC

Planted hectares: 66
Hectoliters produced: 2,994
Average yield (hl/ha): 45
Volume by color: 100% white

Crémant de Die is a sparkling dry white wine made mostly from Clairette (though small amounts of Aligoté and Muscat à Petits Grains Blancs are allowed), using the traditional method.

Châtillon-en-Diois AOC

Planted hectares: 28
Hectoliters produced: 670
Average yield (hl/ha): 24
Volume by color: 42% red, 12% rosé, 46% white

Châtillon-en-Diois is an appellation for dry still wines made in three colors. Whites are light-bodied and made from Chardonnay or Aligoté, or both. Reds and rosés are light- to medium-bodied and made mostly from Gamay, with optional Pinot Noir and Syrah.

Coteaux de Die AOC

Planted hectares: 6
Hectoliters produced: 256
Average yield (hl/ha): 42
Volume by color: 100% white

Coteaux de Die is a dry still white wine made from 100% Clairette. This is one of the smallest appellations in the Rhône Valley, but these Clairette wines can rival those made farther south.

Southern Rhône

Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC

Planted hectares: 3,135
Hectoliters produced: 78,200
Average yield (hl/ha): 24.9
Volume by color: 90% red, 10% white

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is one of the most famous wine regions in the world—not only because of the quality of the wines but as a result of its long commercial history, papal endorsement, and role in developing the appellation system. The first written references to the village date to 1094, with the first mention of local viticulture in 1157. But the arrival of the popes in the early 1300s marked a turning point in the region’s history.

Clément V, the archbishop of Bordeaux, was elected pope in 1305. Instead of taking a seat in Rome, in 1309 he chose Avignon, which was within the papal lands then known as Comtat-Venaissin. This marked the start of the Avignon papacy. It was Clément V’s successor, Jean XXII, who started the construction of the château neuf (new castle) in the village now known as Châteauneuf-du-Pape (formerly Châteauneuf-Calcernier, for the area’s limestone quarries). This new castle was a summer residence, and vineyards were also established to cater to the pope and his thirsty entourage.

The rise of private estates came later. In 1560, the Tulle de Villefranche family bought the building and farmland that became Château La Nerthe, but it wasn’t until 1730 that the wines were sold commercially. In the early 1800s, more estates were established on the strength of La Nerthe’s success, such as Domaine de la Solitude (established in 1809), which was one of the first Châteauneuf-du-Pape estates to export wine and to use private labels on its bottles. In 1923, at the request of local growers, Le Roy developed the framework for Châteauneuf-du-Pape that later served as the model for other AOCs.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a gently rolling countryside stretching over nearly 3,200 hectares (7,900 acres) at a bend in the Rhône River. Its highest point is just 128 meters (420 feet) above sea level. The powerful mistral sweeps through all the vineyards here, helping reduce disease pressure. The appellation has land in five communes: at the center is Châteauneuf-du-Pape, then clockwise from the north are Orange, Courthézon, Bédarrides, and Sorgues. Ideally, the different terroirs of Châteauneuf-du-Pape would be reflected in commune boundaries, which would make it much easier to discuss the appellation, but that’s not the case. Even individual lieux-dits contain multiple soil types and exposures. Yet there are several distinct zones in Châteauneuf-du-Pape that are worth defining.

Toward the south of the appellation, there is a large strip of land close to the river, in the communes of Sorgues and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, that is composed of large galets roulés (sometimes called “pudding stones” in English). These are rounded silica pebbles, usually with clay underneath them, that are relatively recent deposits. Some of the best lieux-dits are directly south of the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, such as Le Bois de Boursan, Le Bois de la Ville, Les Galimardes, and Les Grandes Serres. Leading producers based here include Famille Isabel Ferrando and Mas Saint-Louis.

Most limestone is west and northwest of the village. This is rarely considered the best terroir for red wines, but grapes grown here can add complexity to a blend. This is an excellent place to plant white grapes, however, delivering wines of tension and freshness. Few estates are physically located in this area, but many own parcels, including Domaine de Beaurenard.

Following the appellation clockwise, bordering this limestone terroir is the vast, elevated plateau of Montredon, which has very old galets roulés, then the substantial lieux-dits of Farguerol and Cabrières, with more rounded stones. These are called the Villafranchian galets roulés, referring to the age in which they were deposited by the Rhône River. This area is among the best alluvial terroirs in the Southern Rhône, and it also includes the highest elevations in the appellation, reaching 129 meters (423 feet) at Pied Long. Estates such as Château Mont-Redon and Domaine Charvin are located here, making powerful, muscular reds.

The most significant outcrops of sand are northeast of the village, in the commune of Courthézon. This is where Château Rayas, Le Clos du Caillou, and Domaine Font de Courtedune are located. The sandy soils facilitate the wines of great finesse that have solidified these estates’ reputations.

A few kilometers east of the village is the other very large plateau of Villafranchian galets roulés, La Crau. Spreading over the meeting point of the three communes of Châteauneuf, Courthézon, and Bédarrides, it is an enviable terroir. There are few wineries of note built on these stones, but many leading estates have parcels here, including Domaine Henri Bonneau, Domaine de la Janasse, Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe, Domaine de la Mordorée, and Château La Nerthe. The best wines combine intensity, concentration, and refined tannins.

In Châteauneuf-du-Pape, rules around grape varieties are unusually lenient. Producers can use any combination of the following grapes for white or red wine (rosé is not permitted): Bourboulenc, Cinsault, Clairette, Clairette Rose, Counoise, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre, Muscardin, Picardan, Piquepoul Blanc, Piquepoul Gris, Piquepoul Noir, Roussanne, Syrah, Terret Noir, and Vaccarèse. Varietal wines from all these grapes are allowed. Grenache is by far the most widely planted red variety, followed by Syrah and Mourvèdre; Grenache Blanc is the most common white. Around 30 producers in the AOC use all the allowable varieties for their wines, with famous examples including Château de Beaucastel, Clos des Papes, Château Mont-Redon, and Château La Nerthe.

A century ago, the wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape were commonly fermented and aged in large old oak foudres, but today concrete tanks are much more common for Grenache, as they are less expensive and easier to clean, reducing the risk of Brettanomyces. Stainless steel is used, too, but it’s less common. A benefit of concrete over stainless steel is that it holds heat better, so warming and cooling during fermentation are more gradual. Destemming is very traditional in the area, with examples of the practice dating to the 1860s. Today less than 10% of producers produce whole-cluster wines.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape, like so many other European regions, endured its so-called modern period in the 1990s and early 2000s, with new oak barriques gaining a brief following. They have fallen out of favor today, as new oak and Grenache are rarely an ideal combination—the natural sweetness of Grenache is embellished by sweet oak spice, which can produce confected wines. But barriques, new and recent, are still used for maturing Syrah, and to some extent Mourvèdre, as these grapes require contact with air during or after fermentation, or both, to mitigate the risk of reduction.

Special cuvées have been an important modern development for Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The first was Henri Bonneau’s Clos des Célestins (now Réserve des Célestins) in 1927, but the practice of bottling special cuvées grew in the period from the late 20^thto early 21^st centuries. These wines highlight old vines, specific varieties, and, for many producers, the significant use of new French oak. Famous examples are Beaucastel’s Hommage à Jacques Perrin, Domaine du Pégau’s Cuvée Da Capo, and Clos Saint-Jean’s Deus ex Machina.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines have an unusual ability to age in bottle. Most reds, even in average vintages, will last for 15 to 20 years, and the best wines in top vintages will last for well over 50 years. Whites can also age well, often developing highly complex aromas. Aging between 10 and 20 years is common. Because these wines can enter an oxidative phase between 5 and 10 years of age, it’s advisable to avoid drinking them in this window.

Gigondas AOC

Planted hectares: 1,205
Hectoliters produced: 33,363
Average yield (hl/ha): 28
Volume by color: 98% red, 1% rosé, 1% white

Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas share a handful of grape varieties, but their terroirs are completely different. While Châteauneuf is spread across rolling countryside by the river, Gigondas covers the Dentelles de Montmirail, a small chain of mountains. The Dentelles are effectively the foothills of Mont Ventoux, the highest mountain in Provence. They sit above the Nîmes fault, whose action has caused some ancient soils to be pushed to the surface. Like stabbing a knife upward through a mille-feuille pastry, the once-horizontal layers of limestone and clay have been driven vertical. The peaks of the Dentelles are crowned with distinctive jagged white limestone teeth that point toward the sky.

The pretty village of Gigondas is perched on the western edge of the Dentelles massif. It faces northwest, affording morning shade to the vines. Only a small proportion of Gigondas’s vineyards are among these raw limestone peaks, with the highest at around 500 meters (1,640 feet) in elevation. These higher-elevation sites benefit from cooler temperatures.

Most vines are grown on the lower foothills and on the alluvial fan known as the Cône de la Font des Papes, which has ferried soil and rock down the mountain toward the Ouvèze River. These soils have more clay and marl, offering plentiful nutrients and providing moisture during the dry summer months. Another important soil type is sand, a band of which skirts around the base of the Dentelles, running through the appellations of Gigondas, Côtes du Rhône Villages Sablet, and Côtes du Rhône Villages Séguret.

Gigondas was the fourth cru established in the Southern Rhône, following Châteauneuf, Lirac, and Tavel. It was granted in 1971 after extended negotiation with the appellation authorities. Red wines, as well as the tiny amount of rosé produced, must be at least 50% Grenache and can be 100% Grenache. They may also include the following grape varieties: Bourboulenc, Cinsault, Clairette, Clairette Rose, Counoise, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Marsanne, Mourvèdre, Muscardin, Piquepoul Blanc, Piquepoul Noir, Roussanne, Syrah, Terret Noir, Ugni Blanc, Vaccarèse, and Viognier. In practice, after Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre are by far the most widely used grapes.

Whites must be 70% or more Clairette Blanche, and they may also contain Bourboulenc, Clairette Rose, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Marsanne, Piquepoul Blanc, Roussanne, Viognier, and Ugni Blanc. White Gigondas has been permitted only since the 2023 vintage, a sensible change in the appellation rules given the abundance of limestone and relative freshness of this spectacular terroir.

Beaumes-de-Venise AOC

Planted hectares: 729
Hectoliters produced: 22,238
Average yield (hl/ha): 31
Volume by color: 100% red

Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise AOC

Planted hectares: 264
Hectoliters produced: 4,557
Average yield (hl/ha): 17
Volume by color: 2% red, 12% rosé, 86% white

Counterclockwise from Gigondas, around to the southern face of the Dentelles de Montmirail massif, is the picturesque village of Beaumes-de-Venise. It’s commonly associated with sweet Muscat and received the appellation for this style in 1945. Only much later, in 2005, did it receive an appellation for dry reds. These two styles are usually made in different parts of the appellation, however. Muscat is grown on the flat, hot, sandy soils of the commune of Aubignan, whereas the dry reds are produced at higher elevation on the clay-limestone slopes of the Dentelles.

Beaumes-de-Venise shares a hillside border with Gigondas, and their red wines have many similar characteristics. The rules of production are slightly different: red Beaumes-de-Venise wines must contain Grenache and Syrah, which together must constitute the largest component of the blend; they may also contain Bourboulenc, Carignan, Cinsault, Clairette, Clairette Rose, Counoise, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Marsanne, Muscardin, Piquepoul Blanc, Piquepoul Noir, Roussanne, Terret Noir, Ugni Blanc, Vaccarèse, and Viognier. Up to 10% of the blend can be white grapes.

Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise is an ancient wine, mentioned by Pliny the Elder. It is a vin doux naturel, whose fermentation is stopped by mutage, or adding pure alcohol, leaving some natural grape sugars in the wine. The best producers make several passes through the vineyard to pick grapes at optimum ripeness, and the resulting juice must have a sugar content above 252 grams per liter before fermentation. The finished wine must contain at least 100 grams of residual sugar per liter and have a minimum ABV of 15%.

Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise is made with Muscat à Petits Grains Blancs, and most is white. But thanks to this variety’s propensity to naturally mutate to the red-skinned Muscat à Petits Grains Noirs, rosé and red wines are also made. This is the only still, sweet wine made in any notable quantity in the Rhône Valley (Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel, Hermitage Vin de Paille, and sweet Condrieu are made in very small amounts).

Vacqueyras AOC

Planted hectares: 1,445
Hectoliters produced: 40,703
Average yield (hl/ha): 28
Volume by color: 93% red, 1% rosé, 6% white

Most of Vacqueyras AOC covers a vast, stony terrace known locally as the garrigues, with a small section of land at the base of the Dentelles de Montmirail that rises to 200 meters (660 feet). The terrace is the old riverbed of the Ouvèze River and lies at around 100 meters (330 feet) in elevation, and it’s made up of small, irregular galets roulés and red, black, and white clays and marls. It’s a hot terroir, open to the sun and swept by the mistral.

Winemaking here has been practiced for centuries, with the first written records dating to 1414. The name Vacqueyras comes from Vallis Quadreria, meaning “valley of stones.” Traditionally, the best area was the northern half of the garrigues, as the southern half can be very arid. At the very northern limit, the appellation shares a border with the Cône de la Font des Papes, which is home to some excellent wines and very good estates. There is a band of sand that runs around the edge of the appellation, which produces reds with finesse and some fantastic whites. Overall, the whites of Vacqueyras are among the best of the Southern Rhône. The region’s rosés are rarely as exciting.

Reds must be mostly Grenache and include Syrah or Mourvèdre, or both. They may also include the following accessory grapes: Bourboulenc, Carignan, Cinsault, Clairette, Clairette Rose, Counoise, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Marsanne, Muscardin, Piquepoul Noir, Roussanne, Terret Noir, Vaccarèse, and Viognier.

For rosés, the main grapes are Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah; they can include the same accessory grapes as reds. Whites must contain at least two of the following: Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier.

Rasteau AOC (Dry Reds)

Planted hectares: 935
Hectoliters produced: 28,635
Average yield (hl/ha): 31
Volume by color: 100% red

Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel AOC (Sweet Wines)

Planted hectares: 19
Hectoliters produced: 551
Average yield (hl/ha): 29
Volume by color: 33% red, 66% rosé, 1% white

As in Beaumes-de-Venice, in Rasteau the appellation for sweet wine (established in 1944), predates the appellation for dry wine (established in 2010). But while Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise is a wine with a tradition stretching back over two millennia, Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel is a more recent product.

The Ventabren massif is a wide hill of clay-limestone soils with outcrops of small pebbles. The vineyards of Cairanne occupy the western half of its south-facing slope; the vineyards of Rasteau cover the eastern half. At the foot of the slope is Côtes du Rhône Villages Plan de Dieu AOC, a vast, flat, low terrace of gravels that lies between the Aigues River and the Ouvèze River (both of which can appear more like streams in summer). Both Cairanne and Rasteau have annexed a section of this hot, stony terroir for themselves, giving them more-varied soil types and terrain.

Rasteau winemakers refer to this lower terroir (around 110 meters, or 360 feet) as Le Plan, and the concentrated grapes it produces are ideal for sweet wines, though some good dry wines are made, too. To the north of this section is the village of Rasteau and the surrounding blue and gray marls. Farther north, into the wooded montagne, vineyards sit at up to 350 meters (1,150 feet) in elevation. This part of the appellation is more suitable for producing dry wines.

The main red grape used for dry reds must be Grenache, and wines must also contain Syrah or Mourvèdre, or both. Other minor permitted grapes are Bourboulenc, Carignan, Cinsault, Clairette, Clairette Rose, Counoise, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Marsanne, Muscardin, Piquepoul Blanc, Piquepoul Noir, Roussanne, Terret Noir, Ugni Blanc, Vaccarèse, and Viognier. Stylistically, these wines are powerful and bold, with an intense fruit ripeness (sucrosité) and muscular but smooth tannic structure.

Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel was first developed in 1934 with the help of a winemaker from Rivesaltes, in Roussillon, an area with a long history of making sweet Grenache. Grapes are handpicked, and yields cannot surpass 30 hectoliters per hectare; the juice must reach a minimum natural sugar level of 252 grams per liter. Like all vins doux naturels (VDNs), the fermentation is stopped by adding pure grape spirit, leaving natural grape sweetness in the wine and raising the overall alcohol level to a minimum ABV of 15%.

Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel can be white, rosé, or red. Locally, the red version is referred to as grenat (garnet). Extended aging of any color brings additional categories into play. A white or rosé VDN with a further 30 months of oxidative aging is described as ambré, while the same style of red is called tuilé. Ambré and tuilé styles with a minimum of 60 months’ oxidative aging are called hors d’âge. Finally, rancio is an hors d’âge wine that has taken on a green tint and a nutty, maderized flavor.

For Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel, grapes from the Grenache family (Grenache Noir, Gris, and Blanc) must make up 90% of the blend. The minor permitted varieties are Bourboulenc, Carignan, Cinsault, Clairette, Clairette Rose, Counoise, Marsanne, Mourvèdre, Muscardin, Piquepoul Blanc, Piquepoul Noir, Roussanne, Syrah, Terret Noir, Ugni Blanc, Vaccarèse, and Viognier.

Cairanne AOC

Planted hectares: 889
Hectoliters produced: 26,776
Average yield (hl/ha): 30
Volume by color: 93% red, 7% white

The appellation of Cairanne covers the western half of the south-facing slope of the Ventabren massif. The terroir is similar to that of the neighboring Rasteau; soils are principally marls with outcrops of small pebbles. Also like Rasteau, there is a large section of the appellation on the flatland at the foot of the hill, known locally as the garrigues. This area is hotter, with deep, free-draining gravel soils with brown and red clay. The third main section of the appellation, known as the Terrasses de l’Aigues, lies on the other side of the Aigues River. As in Rasteau, the highest point is at 350 meters (1,150 feet), but the hillsides here are gentler.

Although this part of the Rhône has been home to overperforming estates for centuries, it was only granted its own appellation by the INAO in 2015, with approval by the EU in 2016. The appellation’s syndicat opted to include three rules of production in its cahier des charges that were pioneering at the time: to ban machine harvesting, set a tight limit on added sulfites, and restrict the use of herbicides.

Stylistically, a typical red or white Rasteau wine is fuller and more powerful, which is likely just as much (if not more) a result of winemaking as terroir. White wines are particularly reliable in Cairanne and tend to be less oak driven and gentler in style compared with those of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, for example.

Reds must contain 40% Grenache along with Syrah or Mourvèdre, or both. They may also contain Bourboulenc, Carignan, Cinsault, Clairette, Clairette Rose, Counoise, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Marsanne, Muscardin, Piquepoul Blanc, Piquepoul Noir, Roussanne, Terret Noir, Vaccarèse, and Viognier.

Whites must contain at least two of the following: Clairette, Grenache Blanc, and Roussanne (and at least 20% of any variety used). They may also contain Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Piquepoul Blanc, and Viognier, but no more than 10% of any one and no more than 30% of these additional varieties in total.

Vinsobres AOC

Planted hectares: 550
Hectoliters produced: 18,278
Average yield (hl/ha): 33
Volume by color: 100% red

Vinsobres was elevated from Côtes du Rhône Villages to its own appellation in 2006, but it remains relatively unsung. Perhaps people find its oxymoronic name confusing; it’s certainly not from a lack of good estates or quality wines. The appellation is for reds only, though producers are lobbying for the inclusion of whites.

Vinsobres shares a large massif (around four times the size of the Ventabren massif of Cairanne and Rasteau) with several other appellations, all Côtes du Rhône Villages with geographic designation: Visan, Valréas, and Saint-Maurice.

Vinsobres is on the far eastern side of this massif, close to the Lance Mountains, which mark the natural frontier of the Southern Rhône growing area. An air current whistles through a gap in the mountains here and follows the Aigues River, which runs along the foot of the largely south-facing slope where Vinsobres is located. This brings a freshening effect to the vines. The impact of elevation compounds this; vines are grown between 250 meters (820 feet) and 450 meters (1,480 feet) in elevation.

Grenache must be the largest component of the blend, and wines must contain Syrah or Mourvèdre, or both. Also permitted in the blend are Bourboulenc, Carignan, Cinsault, Clairette, Clairette Rose, Counoise, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Marsanne, Muscardin, Piquepoul Blanc, Piquepoul Noir, Roussanne, Terret Noir, Ugni Blanc, Vaccarèse, and Viognier. An unusually large proportion of Syrah is grown here; in 2024, 62% of red plantings were Grenache and 31% were Syrah.

The amount of Syrah used, alongside the influences of wind, elevation, and northerly latitude, results in a tense and structured style, with relatively high acidity and assertive tannins.

Tavel AOC

Planted hectares: 731
Hectoliters produced: 19,492
Average yield (hl/ha): 27
Volume by color: 100% rosé

In 1936, Tavel was established as one of the first five wine appellations of France (along with Arbois, Monbazillac, Cassis, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape), reflecting the esteem that these wines were held in at that time. While Le Roy gave the appellation to Châteauneuf-du-Pape for reds and whites, Tavel was restricted to making rosé. Today, it remains the only 100% rosé appellation in the Rhône Valley.

Tavel’s fortunes have waxed and waned over the centuries. Tavel was known for quality wine well before the popes arrived in Châteauneuf in the 14^th century. The first text mentioning its vines dates to 897 CE. But today Tavel struggles commercially. Its rosés are traditionally—and as stipulated in the cahier des charges—dark in color, in contrast with the pale rosé style now in vogue.

Located on the west bank of the Rhône River around the Malaven tributary, Tavel has a varied terroir, with sandy soils and limestone (known locally as lauzes). It also shares a large plateau of galets roulés with the neighboring Lirac.

While Grenache dominates, there is an unusually large amount of Cinsault here, at 21% of plantings, a higher proportion than in any other Rhône Valley appellation. Cinsault produces big berries with thin skins, typically making wines with a relatively pale color.

Tavel is a rosé of maceration. Grapes are cold-macerated for 12 to 48 hours before pressing, and then the press and free-run juices are fermented at low temperature, usually between 14 degrees Celsius (57 degrees Fahrenheit) and 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit). The wines are sometimes clarified by flotation, or sparging with nitrogen to make suspended particles rise to the top; malolactic fermentation is usually blocked; and the wines are typically filtered. The resulting wines are deep in color as well as flavor. Quality is variable. Some Tavel wines have confected red fruit flavors and lack interest. But the growth of a back-to-basics approach (here defined by organic farming, handpicking, semicarbonic maceration, and malolactic fermentation), spearheaded by Eric Pfifferling, who founded Domaine l’Anglore, is resulting in a new wave of exceptional wines of tension, minerality, and sublime drinkability.

Lirac AOC

Planted hectares: 852
Hectoliters produced: 17,182
Average yield (hl/ha): 20 (atypically low in 2024; usually approximately 30–35)
Volume by color: 82% red, 3% rosé, 15% white

Like Tavel, Lirac is located on the west bank, and it, too, has had mixed fortunes over the centuries. The appellation spans four communes: Lirac, Roquemaure, Saint-Geniès-de-Comolas, and Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres. In the Middle Ages, Roquemaure was a major port, and, by the 16^th century, Lirac wines were served in royal courts in France and beyond. But in 1862, a resident of Lirac received some vine cuttings from a friend who lived in the US. He planted them in his garden, unaware that, in their roots, they contained phylloxera, which had an enormously destructive impact on French vineyards.

Although Lirac is situated just over the river from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, it is shadier, more enclosed, and less carpeted with vines. It’s similarly diverse in soil types (sand, galets roulés, limestone) but with more forest, and it is bordered to the west by hills.

Lirac produces red, white, and rosé wines. For reds, most of the blend must come from Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault. The following accessory varieties may be used but cannot make up more than 10% of the blend: Carignan, Clairette Rose, Counoise, Grenache Gris, Marsanne, Piquepoul Blanc, Piquepoul Noir, Roussanne, Ugni Blanc, and Viognier. Rules for rosés are the same as for reds, but the accessory varieties can contribute up to 20% of the blend.

For whites, most of the blend must be composed of Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, and Roussanne. Marsanne, Piquepoul Blanc, Ugni Blanc, and Viognier can also be used.

While powerful reds and whites are produced in Lirac, the wines don’t tend to be quite as rich, full-bodied, and potent as those from the east bank.

Costières de Nîmes AOC

Planted hectares: 2,540
Hectoliters produced: 110,510
Average yield (hl/ha): 44
Volume by color: 42% red, 47% rosé, 11% white

Costières de Nîmes AOC and the remaining appellations in this guide are classic expressions of the Southern Rhône, though they do not sit within the Côtes du Rhône AOC growing area.

With some vineyards just 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) from the Mediterranean, Costières de Nîmes is the southernmost Rhône Valley appellation. The soils here are composed of vast banks of galets roulés brought by the Rhône and Durance Rivers. Despite its far southern location, this is not the hottest appellation in the Rhône Valley. Costières de Nîmes is close to the coast, and the sun heats up the pebbles during the day, which causes warm air to rise, drawing in cooler sea breezes and clouds in the afternoon that shelter the vines from the sun. This is one reason that Syrah is more widely planted here than Grenache. Another unusual characteristic of this appellation is that it makes more rosé than red or white.

Reds must be a blend of at least two varieties, including at least one of the principal varieties, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah. These varieties must make up at least 50% of the blend. Accessory varieties include Carignan, Cinsault, and Marselan. No more than 10% Marselan is permitted.

Rosés follow the same blending rules as reds. Whites must be a blend of at least two varieties and must include at least one of the principal varieties: Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, and Roussanne. Principal grape varieties must make up at least 60% of the blend. Whites may also contain Bourboulenc, Clairette, Macabeu, Rolle, and Viognier. No more than 20% Viognier is permitted.

In April 2025, five new VIFA varieties were selected for trial in the appellation. The two reds are Montepulciano and Morrastel (Graciano); the three white and pink varieties are Tourbat, Piquepoul Blanc, and Souvignier Gris. Vignerons can use these within the limit of 5% of their vineyard area and 10% of the final blend of any wine.

Clairette de Bellegarde AOC

Planted hectares: 9
Hectoliters produced: 436
Average yield (hl/ha): 46
Volume by color: 100% white

Bellegarde is one of the 24 communes in the growing area of Costières de Nîmes. In this rolling landscape of galets roulés, vignerons can choose to produce Clairette de Bellegarde AOC if they follow a different cahier des charges, which is reserved for dry still white wines made of 100% Clairette Blanche. Despite the relatively low acidity of the wines (malolactic fermentation is sometimes blocked), they can be surprisingly ageworthy.

Duché d’Uzès AOC

Planted hectares: 294
Hectoliters produced: 9,595
Average yield (hl/ha): 33
Volume by color: 55% red, 15% rosé, 30% white

Duché d’Uzès, established in 2013, covers a vast area: 77 communes, all on the west bank between the Cévennes Mountains and the Rhône River. The appellation is solely for the higher-elevation, clay-limestone terroirs within these communes. Only a small amount of wine is currently bottled under this AOC (much of what is grown in this area is bottled under one of the various possible IGPs).

For a young appellation, the rules around blending are quite restrictive. Reds must contain at least 40% Syrah and at least 20% Grenache; they may also contain Mourvèdre, Carignan, or Cinsault, or all three. The result is an aromatic style of Southern Rhône wine, tense and smoky.

Rosés must contain at least 20% Syrah and at least 50% Grenache; they may also contain Mourvèdre, Carignan, and Cinsault. Stylistically, they are between Tavel and Provence.

Whites must contain at least 40% Viognier and at least 30% Grenache Blanc, and they must also contain at least 20% Marsanne, Roussanne, and Rolle. Ugni Blanc and Clairette are also permitted. These wines show aromatic lift and freshness from the Viognier, tempered by Grenache Blanc’s aromatic neutrality.

All three colors can be very good. The appellation has yet to receive much market recognition, but it holds promise.

Côtes du Vivarais AOC

Planted hectares: 139
Hectoliters produced: 4,457
Average yield (hl/ha): 32
Volume by color: 60% red, 29% rosé, 11% white

Côtes du Vivarais is the northernmost Rhône Valley appellation on the west bank of the Southern Rhône, with most of its growing area in the Ardèche department, directly north of the Ardèche River (except for a small area south of the river in the Gard department). This large area of 14 communes was granted its appellation in 1999.

The wines were praised by the influential French agronomist Olivier de Serres in the late 16^th century. After phylloxera, however, the area was planted with large quantities of hybrid vines, which stunted its progress. Most of these plantings have since been ripped out and replaced with Vitis vinifera.

The defining characteristic of this part of the Rhône Valley is its limestone bedrock. Its solubility has resulted in a dramatic landscape of deep river gorges and huge cave networks. Given the calcareous soils, it’s surprising that more white wines aren’t produced here. Whites must contain at least 50% Grenache Blanc. Clairette and Marsanne combined must make up at least 30% of the blend, and Viognier and Roussanne must be no more than 10%.

Rosés are largely commercial in style. Grenache must constitute 60% to 80% of the blend, and the wines may also contain Syrah, Cinsault, or Marselan, or all three. For reds, Syrah must make up at least 40% of the blend and Grenache at least 30%; red wines may also contain Cinsault or Marselan, or both. These wines tend to be more tense and less generous compared with the reds of Vaucluse.

Grignan-les-Adhémar AOC

Planted hectares: 1,170
Hectoliters produced: 37,105
Average yield (hl/ha): 32
Volume by color: 73% red, 15% rosé, 12% white

Grignan-les-Adhémar is the northernmost appellation on the east bank of the Southern Rhône, stretching nearly as far north as Montélimar. Much of the vineyard area was established by pieds-noirs, a term for people of mainly French descent born in Algeria during the period of French colonization, who came to France in the 1960s following the Algerian War of Independence. The appellation was established in 1973 under the name Coteaux du Tricastin, and the name was changed in 2010 to avoid associations with the nearby Tricastin nuclear power plant.

Grignan-les-Adhémar is a large appellation covering 21 communes, and the terroir is varied. Toward the Rhône River are sandy clay and galets roulés; the northern part is hillier, featuring more clay-limestone content; and to the east, there is more sand and sandstone. Climatically, this area is a meeting point of continental, alpine, and Mediterranean influences. This diversity of terroir makes it difficult to discern a strong sense of place for the appellation’s wines.

Reds must contain a majority of Grenache and Syrah. They may also include Bourboulenc, Carignan, Cinsault, Clairette Blanche, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Marselan, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, and Viognier. White varieties may contribute up to 10% of the blend.

Rosés follow the same rules as reds, but white varieties may contribute up to 20% of the blend. Whites may include Bourboulenc, Clairette Blanche, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier. Bourboulenc and Clairette Blanche combined cannot make up more than 50% of the blend.

Ventoux AOC

Planted hectares: 5,442
Hectoliters produced: 211,691
Average yield (hl/ha): 39
Volume by color: 58% red, 33% rosé, 9% white

Reaching 1,912 meters (6,273 feet), Mont Ventoux is the highest mountain in Provence, visible from most of the vineyards of Vaucluse. Ventoux AOC, named after the mountain, covers 51 communes. Most are west of the mountain, and there’s a separate section to its south. Although the vineyards scale the mountain and its foothills, many are planted on the flatter plains below.

Naturally, the terroir is varied. On the hillsides, there is more limestone and marl, with colluvial limestone gravels farther down, and more sand and alluvial deposits on the flat portions. Vineyards rise to 500 meters (1,640 feet), and, as they do, the air temperature drops, helping conserve freshness and acidity. The mistral’s impact is significant on the slopes. Even areas at the foot of the mountain benefit from the mountain’s influence, as cool air descends at night, helping retain freshness and aromas in the grapes.

Ventoux AOC produces 10% of all AOC wine made in the Rhône Valley. Given this size, generalizations are difficult, as the range of styles and quality levels is large. Until the early 2000s, Ventoux had a reputation for thin, acidic reds, but there has been a revolution since then, partly thanks to global warming and partly thanks to an influx of talented winemakers from elsewhere. Today, the most gifted winemakers working the best terroirs (most notably those in the more northerly communes) make wines that rival good bottlings from Vacqueyras and Gigondas—and often at lower prices.

Both reds and rosés must be a blend of at least two of the principal varieties: Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah. The wines may also contain a maximum of 20% Bourboulenc, Clairette, Counoise, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Marselan, Piquepoul Noir, Roussanne, Rolle, and Viognier.

White wines must also be a blend of at least two of the principal varieties, the majority of which must come from Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, or Roussanne. They may also contain Marsanne, Rolle, and Viognier.

Luberon AOC

Planted hectares: 3,021
Hectoliters produced: 118,210
Average yield (hl/ha): 39
Volume by color: 26% red, 46% rosé, 28% white

Luberon AOC is another very large appellation impacted by nearby mountains. Here, the Luberon mountain range is the main influence on the wines. This chain is 60 kilometers (37 miles) long and runs roughly west to east, rising to 1,125 meters (3,690 feet) at its highest point. This creates two growing areas. One section is between the north-facing slope of the mountain and the Calavon River. The larger, southern section is between the south-facing slope of the mountain and the Durance River. Although the appellation is warm and sunny, the two rivers act as channels for cool air that flows from the mountains to the east. Vineyards are situated between 200 meters (660 feet) and 500 meters (1,640 feet) in elevation.

It’s a picturesque area, located within the Luberon Regional Nature Park and dotted with ancient, unspoiled villages. Soils are mostly clay-limestone, with deep gravels at the foot of the mountain range, and outcrops of sand and sandstone.

Although viticulture here dates to Roman times, the influx of private estates is relatively new, with the first ones appearing in the 1980s. Today, production is still heavily dominated by cooperatives.

In 2024, 88% of plantings of red varieties were Grenache and Syrah, with just 1% more Syrah than Grenache. Luberon reds must be a blend, the majority of which must come from at least two of the following three grapes: Grenache, Mourvèdre, or Syrah. They may also contain Bourboulenc, Carignan, Cinsault, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Marselan, Roussanne, Ugni Blanc, Rolle, or Viognier. Production is mostly rosé, however, in a pale, Provençal style. The blending rules for rosé are the same as those for reds.

Whites are arguably the Luberon’s strength, with many white wines here rivaling those from more famous crus. This is thanks to winemakers embracing Rolle, which produces fresh and zesty wines. Luberon whites must also be a blend, the majority of which must come from at least two of the following varieties: Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, or Rolle. They may also contain Ugni Blanc and Viognier.

Compiled by Matt Walls (May 2026)

Edited by Stacy Ladenburger

Bibliography

Bailly, Robert. Histoire de la vigne et des grands vins des Côtes du Rhône. Orta, 1978.

Dion, Roger. Histoire de la vigne et du vin en France des origines au XIXe siècle. CNRS Editions, 2010.

Dovaz, Michel. Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Jacques Legrand, 1992.

The Encyclopedia of Côtes du Rhône and Rhône Valley AOC Wines. Inter Rhône, 2019. https://www.vins-rhone.com/sites/vignoble/files/documentation/2026-04/INTER-RHONE-ENCYCLOPEDIE-2026-EN-BAT_0.pdf.

Fanet, Jacques. Les Terroirs du vin. Hachette, 2001.

Johnson, Hugh, and Jancis Robinson. The World Atlas of Wine. 6th ed. Mitchell Beazley, 2007.

Karis, Harry. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape Wine Book. Kavino, 2009.

Key Figures 2024. Inter Rhône, 2025. https://www.vins-rhone.com/sites/vignoble/files/documentation/2025-04/INTER-RHONE-CHIFFRES-CLES-2025-EN-BAT.pdf.

Livingstone-Learmonth, John. Gigondas: Its Wines, Its Land, Its People. Les Éditions du Bottin Gourmand, 2012.

Livingstone-Learmonth, John. The Wines of the Rhône. 3rd ed. Faber & Faber, 1992.

Maltman, Alex. Taste the Limestone, Smell the Slate: A Geologist Wanders through the World of Wine. Académie du Vin Library, 2025.

Maltman, Alex. Vineyards, Rocks, and Soils: The Wine Lover’s Guide to Geology. Oxford University Press, 2018.

Portes, Jean-Claude. Châteauneuf-du-Pape, première AOC de France. Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Organisme de défense et de gestion de l’AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2016.

Robinson, Jancis. The Oxford Companion to Wine. 4th ed. Oxford University Press, 2015.

Robinson, Jancis, Julia Harding, and José Vouillamoz. Wine Grapes. Allen Lane, 2012.

Truc, Georges. Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Histoire Géologique et Naissance des Terroirs. Syndicat des vignerons de l’appellation d’origine Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2023.

Walls, Matt. Wines of the Rhône. Infinite Ideas, 2021.

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Rhône Valley

Sandra Ban — Mon, 04 May 2026 04:24:14 GMT

Revision 61 posted to Expert Guides by Sandra Ban on 5/4/2026 4:24:14 AM

History of the Rhône Valley
Rhône Valley Wine in Context
Land and Climate
Rhône Valley Wine Law
The Grapes of the Rhône Valley
Northern Rhône
Southern Rhône
Bibliography

The Rhône Valley has a very long history of viticulture and today produces some of the most characterful and impressive red, white, and rosé wines in the world.

History of the Rhône Valley

In 476 CE, the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire was deposed. Grapes continued to be cultivated, though documentary evidence until the Middle Ages is scarce.

Both world wars had huge impacts on the wines of France. Many wine professionals lost their lives. Some vineyards abandoned in the aftermath are being rediscovered only today.

Barrels in a Rhône cellar (Credit: Jeff Habourdin for Inter Rhône)

Rhône Valley Wine in Context

Credit: Inter Rhône

The top five export markets by volume for Rhône Valley AOC wine in 2024 were Belgium (19%), the UK (16%), the US (13%), Canada (10%), and Germany (8%).

Land and Climate

Geology and Topography of the Northern Rhône

Geology and Topography of the Southern Rhône

Climate of the Rhône Valley

The climates of the Northern Rhône and the Southern Rhône are very different. Côte-Rôtie is equidistant from Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Beaune, and its climate lies between the two.

Rhône Valley Wine Law

Vin de France

Indication Géographique Protégée

The following IGPs can be used by some Rhône Valley estates.

Regional IGPs

Méditerranée IGP, including the territorial references Comté de Grignan and Coteaux de Montélimar
Comtés Rhodaniens IGP

Departmental IGPs

Gard IGP
Ardèche IGP, including the territorial reference Coteaux de l’Ardèche
Vaucluse IGP, including the territorial references Principauté d’Orange and Aigues
Drôme IGP, including the territorial references Comté de Grignan and Coteaux de Montélimar

Zonal IGPs

Coteaux des Baronnies IGP
Cévennes IGP
Coteaux du Pont du Gard IGP
Collines Rhodaniennes IGP

Côtes du Rhône AOC

Planted hectares: 28,462
Hectoliters produced: 974,144
Average yield (hl/ha): 34
Volume by color: 83% red, 9% rosé, 8% white

All figures are 2024 unless otherwise noted.

Permitted grape varieties for red and rosé wines:

Principal varieties: Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah
Accessory varieties: Bourboulenc, Caladoc, Carignan, Cinsault, Clairette, Clairette Rose, Counoise, Couston, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Marsanne, Marselan, Muscardin, Piquepoul Blanc, Piquepoul Noir, Roussanne, Terret Noir, Ugni Blanc, Vaccarèse, Viognier
VIFA varieties: Carignan Blanc, Floréal, Rolle, Vidoc

Permitted grape varieties for white wines:

Principal varieties: Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier
Accessory varieties: Piquepoul Blanc, Ugni Blanc
VIFA varieties: Carignan Blanc, Floréal, Rolle

Whites must contain mostly principal varieties, with VIFA varieties composing no more than 10% of the blend.

Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC without Geographic Name

Planted hectares: 2,672
Hectoliters produced: 82,740
Average yield (hl/ha): 31
Volume by color: 96% red, 1% rosé, 3% white

The next level up in the appellation pyramid is Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC, which may be used by 95 of the 172 communes allowed by Côtes du Rhône AOC. All of them are in the Southern Rhône.

Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC with Geographic Name

Planted hectares: 5,335
Hectoliters produced: 165,258
Average yield (hl/ha): 31
Volume by color: 96% red, 1% rosé, 3% white

Most named villages are permitted to make wine in all three colors, though the tendency more recently has been to restrict color variations to those considered most traditional or typical.

The list below contains all current named villages. If colors are restricted, this is noted in parentheses.

Chusclan (red and rosé)
Gadagne (red)
Massif d’Uchaux (red)
Nyons (red)
Plan de Dieu (red)
Puyméras (red)
Roaix
Rochegude
Rousset-les-Vignes
Sablet
Saint-Andéol (red)
Saint-Gervais
Saint-Maurice
Saint-Pantaléon-les-Vignes
Sainte-Cécile (red)
Séguret
Signargues (red)
Suze-la-Rousse (red)
Vaison-la-Romaine (red)
Valréas
Visan

The Grapes of the Rhône Valley

Red Grapes

Bush vine in Gigondas (Credit: Christophe Grilhé for Inter Rhône)

Syrah vs. Serine

White and Pink Grapes

In the Southern Rhône, where Viognier can be richer, it is typically used as a blending component, adding aromatics and textural richness.

Roussanne is mostly used for still, dry wines, but it also appears either with or without Marsanne in sparkling Saint-Péray. It is used for sweet white Hermitage Vin de Paille as well.

Like Roussanne, Marsanne is mostly used for still, dry wines, but it can appear with or without Roussanne in sparkling Saint-Péray. It is also used for sweet white Hermitage Vin de Paille.

Northern Rhône

Harvest at Domaine Pierre Gaillard (Credit: Christophe Grilhé for Inter Rhône)

Côte-Rôtie AOC

Planted hectares: 343
Hectoliters produced: 11,752
Average yield (hl/ha): 34
Volume by color: 100% red

Although there is no official classification of Côte-Rôtie lieux-dits, some are considered better than others. The following are broadly considered among the most desirable:

Other notable lieux-dits include Côte Rozier, Chavaroche, Fongeant, and Coteaux de Tupin.

Condrieu AOC

Planted hectares: 221
Hectoliters produced: 7,167
Average yield (hl/ha): 32
Volume by color: 100% white

Château-Grillet AOC

Château-Grillet AOC (Credit: Christophe Grilhé for Inter Rhône)

Planted hectares: 3.5
Hectoliters produced: 96
Average yield (hl/ha): 26
Volume by color: 100% white

Compared with typical Condrieu wines, those of Château-Grillet display a marked tension and salinity—perhaps because of the estate’s south-facing slope—and they have a rare longevity.

Saint-Joseph AOC

Planted hectares: 1,415
Hectoliters produced: 50,689
Average yield (hl/ha): 36
Volume by color: 86% red, 14% white

Cornas AOC

Planted hectares: 164
Hectoliters produced: 4,938
Average yield (hl/ha): 30
Volume by color: 100% red

Saint-Péray AOC

Planted hectares: 116
Hectoliters produced: 3,075
Average yield (hl/ha): 26
Volume by color: 100% white

Hermitage AOC

Planted hectares: 136
Hectoliters produced: 3,843
Average yield (hl/ha): 28
Volume by color: 69% red, 31% white

Hermitage is divided into 20 lieux-dits. These are some of the most important, from west to east:

Maison Blanche: Eastward, in the third major section of the hill, the highest lieu-dit is Maison Blanche. It has mostly loess soils and is considered one of the best terroirs for white wines.

Péléat: This is a small lieu-dit at the center of the hill that produces whites with minerality. It is a core parcel for Domaine Jean-Louis Chave’s L’Hermitage blanc.

Crozes-Hermitage AOC

Planted hectares: 2,073
Hectoliters produced: 83,064
Average yield (hl/ha): 40
Volume by color: 89% red, 11% white

Another small terroir within Crozes-Hermitage with a distinct character is Larnage. This village east of Hermitage has large deposits of white kaolin sands, which yield elegant whites and reds.

Diois

Clairette de Die AOC

Planted hectares: 1,443
Hectoliters produced: 53,675
Average yield (hl/ha): 37
Volume by color: 100% white

Crémant de Die AOC

Planted hectares: 66
Hectoliters produced: 2,994
Average yield (hl/ha): 45
Volume by color: 100% white

Crémant de Die is a sparkling dry white wine made mostly from Clairette (though small amounts of Aligoté and Muscat à Petits Grains Blancs are allowed), using the traditional method.

Châtillon-en-Diois AOC

Planted hectares: 28
Hectoliters produced: 670
Average yield (hl/ha): 24
Volume by color: 42% red, 12% rosé, 46% white

Coteaux de Die AOC

Planted hectares: 6
Hectoliters produced: 256
Average yield (hl/ha): 42
Volume by color: 100% white

Coteaux de Die is a dry still white wine made from 100% Clairette. This is one of the smallest appellations in the Rhône Valley, but these Clairette wines can rival those made farther south.

Southern Rhône

Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC

Planted hectares: 3,135
Hectoliters produced: 78,200
Average yield (hl/ha): 24.9
Volume by color: 90% red, 10% white

Gigondas AOC

Planted hectares: 1,205
Hectoliters produced: 33,363
Average yield (hl/ha): 28
Volume by color: 98% red, 1% rosé, 1% white

Beaumes-de-Venise AOC

Planted hectares: 729
Hectoliters produced: 22,238
Average yield (hl/ha): 31
Volume by color: 100% red

Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise AOC

Planted hectares: 264
Hectoliters produced: 4,557
Average yield (hl/ha): 17
Volume by color: 2% red, 12% rosé, 86% white

Vacqueyras AOC

Planted hectares: 1,445
Hectoliters produced: 40,703
Average yield (hl/ha): 28
Volume by color: 93% red, 1% rosé, 6% white

Rasteau AOC (Dry Reds)

Planted hectares: 935
Hectoliters produced: 28,635
Average yield (hl/ha): 31
Volume by color: 100% red

Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel AOC (Sweet Wines)

Planted hectares: 19
Hectoliters produced: 551
Average yield (hl/ha): 29
Volume by color: 33% red, 66% rosé, 1% white

Cairanne AOC

Planted hectares: 889
Hectoliters produced: 26,776
Average yield (hl/ha): 30
Volume by color: 93% red, 7% white

Stylistically, both red and white wines made here are harmonious and balanced. A typical Rasteau is fuller and more powerful, which is likely just as much (if not more) a result of winemaking as terroir. White wines are particularly reliable in Cairanne and tend to be less oak driven and gentler in style compared with those of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, for example.

Vinsobres AOC

Planted hectares: 550
Hectoliters produced: 18,278
Average yield (hl/ha): 33
Volume by color: 100% red

The amount of Syrah used, alongside the influences of wind, elevation, and northerly latitude, results in a tense and structured style, with relatively high acidity and assertive tannins.

Tavel AOC

Planted hectares: 731
Hectoliters produced: 19,492
Average yield (hl/ha): 27
Volume by color: 100% rosé

Lirac AOC

Planted hectares: 852
Hectoliters produced: 17,182
Average yield (hl/ha): 20 (atypically low in 2024; usually approximately 30–35)
Volume by color: 82% red, 3% rosé, 15% white

For whites, most of the blend must be composed of Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, and Roussanne. Marsanne, Piquepoul Blanc, Ugni Blanc, and Viognier can also be used.

While powerful reds and whites are produced in Lirac, the wines don’t tend to be quite as rich, full-bodied, and potent as those from the east bank.

Costières de Nîmes AOC

Planted hectares: 2,540
Hectoliters produced: 110,510
Average yield (hl/ha): 44
Volume by color: 42% red, 47% rosé, 11% white

Costières de Nîmes AOC and the remaining appellations in this guide are classic expressions of the Southern Rhône, though they do not sit within the Côtes du Rhône AOC growing area.

Rosés follow the same blending rules as reds. Whites must be a blend of at least two varieties and must include at least one of the principal varieties: Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, and Roussanne. Principal grape varieties must make up at least 60% of the blend. Whites may also contain Bourboulenc, Clairette, Macabeu, Vermentino, and Viognier. No more than 20% Viognier is permitted.

Clairette de Bellegarde AOC

Planted hectares: 9
Hectoliters produced: 436
Average yield (hl/ha): 46
Volume by color: 100% white

Duché d’Uzès AOC

Planted hectares: 294
Hectoliters produced: 9,595
Average yield (hl/ha): 33
Volume by color: 55% red, 15% rosé, 30% white

Rosés must contain at least 20% Syrah and at least 50% Grenache; they may also contain Mourvèdre, Carignan, and Cinsault. Stylistically, they are between Tavel and Provence.

Whites must contain at least 40% Viognier and at least 30% Grenache Blanc, and they must also contain at least 20% Marsanne, Roussanne, and Vermentino. Ugni Blanc and Clairette are also permitted. These wines show aromatic lift and freshness from the Viognier, tempered by Grenache Blanc’s aromatic neutrality.

All three colors can be very good. The appellation has yet to receive much market recognition, but it holds promise.

Côtes du Vivarais AOC

Planted hectares: 139
Hectoliters produced: 4,457
Average yield (hl/ha): 32
Volume by color: 60% red, 29% rosé, 11% white

Grignan-les-Adhémar AOC

Planted hectares: 1,170
Hectoliters produced: 37,105
Average yield (hl/ha): 32
Volume by color: 73% red, 15% rosé, 12% white

Ventoux AOC

Planted hectares: 5,442
Hectoliters produced: 211,691
Average yield (hl/ha): 39
Volume by color: 58% red, 33% rosé, 9% white

Whites must also be a blend, with the majority composed of Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, or Roussanne, or all four. They may also contain Marsanne, Vermentino, and Viognier.

Luberon AOC

Planted hectares: 3,021
Hectoliters produced: 118,210
Average yield (hl/ha): 39
Volume by color: 26% red, 46% rosé, 28% white

In 2024, 88% of plantings of red varieties were Grenache or Syrah, with just 1% more Syrah than Grenache. Luberon reds must be a blend, the majority of which must come from at least two of the following three grapes: Grenache, Mourvèdre, or Syrah. They may also contain Bourboulenc, Carignan, Cinsault, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Marselan, Roussanne, Ugni Blanc, Vermentino, or Viognier. Production is mostly rosé, however, in a pale, Provençal style. The blending rules for rosé are the same as those for reds.

Whites are arguably the Luberon’s strength, with many white wines here rivaling those from more famous crus. This is thanks to winemakers embracing Rolle, which produces fresh and zesty wines. Luberon whites must be a blend, and the majority must include Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, or Vermentino, or all six. They may also contain Ugni Blanc and Viognier.