Wines from the Southern Rhône

The Rhône Valley wine region runs east and west of the mighty Rhône river north-south from Vienne for almost 200 km to Avignon. Probably over 90% of Rhône wines are red with the exception of Condrieu (voignier) in the northern end and Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise in the south. The predominant grape variety in the northern Rhône is Syrah (Shiraz) and Grenache in the southern Rhône. The stars of this wine district are Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Tavel and Lirac, with Chateauneuf-du-Pape being the flagship.

The vineyards of Chateauneuf-du-Pape are famed for their large round stones, called galets, which cover the ground and are part of the Mioscene molasse of Alpine origin. They absorb the heat of the sun during the day and radiate it back to the vines in the cool of the night to help achieve maximum ripeness. But the real secret of the Chateauneuf “terroir” is probably not the stones but the subsoil of red clay and red-brown sand that lies underneath them. Chateauneuf wines are permitted up to 13 grape varieties but most are made with less than half this number with Grenache always the prominent grape variety.

Gigondas is one of the premier wines of the Southern Côtes. The vineyards sit beneath the Dentelles de Montmirail, a vertical slab of Jurassic limestone weathered into a lace-like appearance. The appellation produces dark red big wines that partner excellently with game, spicey dishes and strong flavoured cheeses.

About 3 km away from Gigondas is the village of Vacqueyras, which only gained its own appellation status from Côtes du Rhône-Villages as recently as 1990. The wines generally contain more Cinsault than Gigondas wines.

Tavel and Lirac, on the higher ground west bank of the Rhône, where it is drier, with calcareous sandy soils, which produce lighter wines than those on the eastern bank, are famous for their rosé wines.