Rhône Fine wine

Along with Bordeaux and Burgundy, the Rhône makes up the great triumvirate of French wine, its red wines particularly prized. To the south of the city of Lyon, the River Rhône stretches sporadically between the cities of Vienne and Avignon to reach its wine heartlands. Such is the diversity of wine created within these 120 miles or so that it is easier to consider the Northern Rhône and the Southern Rhône separately, with Syrah in the north and Grenache in the south, each supported and augmented by a huge range of different grape varieties and appellations.

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Northern and Southern regions of Rhône

In the Northern Rhône, Syrah dominates the often steeply sloped vineyards, providing the raw materials for the silky, fragrant wines of Côte-Rôtie, the more full-bodied, long-lived Hermitage and Crozes Hermitage, and, somewhere in between, those of St Joseph and Cornas. The south is home to a greater number of varieties, with Syrah joined by Grenache, Mouvèdre et al to make the more earthy, robust Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and Vacqueyras, along with the ever-popular Côtes-du-Rhône. Both regions also produce a small but high-quality and hugely characteristic number of white wines.

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2018 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Trois Sources, Domaine de la Vieille Julienne

2019 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Piedlong, Frédéric et Daniel Brunier

2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin, Château de Beaucastel

2023 Gigondas "Hominis Fides", Château de Saint Cosme

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Rhône vintages

It is always dangerous to generalise about vintages – and nowhere more so than in the Rhône. A vast region, conditions in the north can often be very different to those in the south, and for that reason, most critics separate the two when assessing the merits of individual years. Côte Rôtie in the north, for example, is as close to Burgundy as it is to Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the south – a factor that played to its advantage in 2023 when it escaped a widespread September thunderstorm that impacted much of the Rhône, to produce charming, refreshing wines. 2016 is another example – big and lush wines in the hotter south, but more restrained and classical in the north, which was damper and cooler (as one would generally expect). 2020 was a rare homogeneous year – hot, dry but not excessively so, leading to ripe but fresh wines.

Rhône wine FAQs

What are the key red grape varieties of the Rhône?

The Rhône Valley plays host to a whole host of grape varieties (winemakers are famously allowed to use 13 in Châteauneuf-du-Pape alone) but the region is dominated by two: Syrah in the north and Grenache in the south. The elegant Syrah grown in such vaunted appellations as Cornas, Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage is a world away from the sometimes big, bruising renderings of the variety in places like the Barossa Valley (where it is known as Shiraz). Here is can produce lighter, almost ethereal gracefulness, which starts to make sense when you consider the northern Rhône’s proximity to Burgundy. That and the fact that Syrah is blended with the white grape Viognier in some appellations, lending further lift. In the south, Grenache tends to dominate most blends, particularly in spots such as Gigondas, Vacqueyras and the perennially popular Châteauneuf-du-Pape, often yielding warming, peppery, herbal tones.

What is Châteauneuf-du-Pape and why is it so famous?

Without doubt the most famous appellation in the Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s enduring popularity is down to two things: consistency and accessibility. The style of wine typically made here, bursting with rich red fruits married to hints of herbal, gamey notes, is supremely drinkable – especially with food – at once both generous and full, but lifted and lively. Much of that is down to the Grenache grape, which dominates most blends, though a whole host of other varieties can be included, further boosting complexity and appeal.

What are the key white wines of the Rhône?

While the red wines are better known, the white wines of the Rhône are well worth discovering, not least since they offer singular styles that are not found anywhere else in France – and rarely replicated in other parts of the world. Again, these styles are different in the north and south of the region. In the Northern Rhône, the key white grape is Viognier, celebrated for producing full-bodied, aromatic wines with apricot and peach notes, often marked by an oily texture, especially in Condrieu. Marsanne and Roussanne are the other main varieties, most commonly seen blended in such appellations as Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage to create complex, textured wines with honeyed, nutty nuance. In the Southern Rhône, the whites tend to be fresher and brighter, balancing richness with spiciness and crisp acidity, as in the white blends of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which tend to rely on Grenache Blanc, along with lesser-known varieties such as Clairette.

Rhône wine producers

The Rhône is home to several legendary wine names, producers who have carved out a reputation for excellence over decades and, in some cases, longer. With the exception of the likes of the luminary Guigal, however, whose reach and prowess spans all corners of the region, most top domaines focus on a handful of appellations. So in the north, you’ll find Cornas specialists Auguste Clape and Domaine du Tunnel; Côte Rôtie champion Domaine Rostaing; and Hermitage leader Marc Sorrel, while a house such as Delas Frères makes wine across all three ACs. In the south, Châteauneuf-du-Pape remains the jewel in the crown, thanks to stalwarts such as Château Rayas, Clos des Papes, Château de Beaucastel and Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe.