The Wine VaultRhône Valley
Northern Rhône: single-varietal Syrah (Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie). Southern Rhône: Grenache-based blends (Châteauneuf-du-Pape can use 13 grape varieties).
Country
France
Climate
Northern Rhône: continental; Southern Rhône: Mediterranean with the Mistral wind
Key grapes
Classification
Northern Rhône Crus (Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, Cornas) and Southern Rhône Crus (Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Vacqueyras).
What to eat
Daube provençale, herbes de Provence, olive tapenade, ratatouille, and grilled lamb.
Fun fact
Châteauneuf-du-Pape permits 13 different grape varieties in its blend and was the first French wine region to establish appellation rules in 1936.