The
wines produced in the Rhone Valley Region are very high
in alcohol because the sun beats down steadily on the vineyards
and gives the grapes ample sugar that is later turned into
alcohol.
Naturally,
the Rhone valley has always been an important line of communication
between Mediterranean Europe and Northern Europe. Hence
wines have been produced for 2000 years here thanks to Mediterranean
influences. This area is so marked by winegrowing that you
will find there the Wine University. Located at the castle
of Suze-la-Rousse, between Avignon and Valence, close to
Seguret, one of the Most Beautiful
Villages of France, you can attend to seminars about wines,
and wine tasting sessions there.
The
Rhone valley is easily divided into two areas: Northern
and Southern Rhone. In the first one, the mainly used grape
is Syrah; great red
wines are produced such as Cotes
Roties and Hermitage, which is believed to have
been planted more than 2000 years ago. The Southern Rhone
produces almost 90% of the total Rhone Valley's production.
The dominant grape variety is Grenache.
There
are 3 different qualities of wines: generic Cotes du Rhone,
Cotes du Rhone-Villages
and named-villages or Crus Wines. The most famous and tastiest
wines, such as Vacqueyras, Gigondas
and Chateauneuf-du-Pape, belong to the 2 last categories.
Let's not forget the celebrated white sweet wines such as
Beaumes-de-Venise,
made from Muscat grape.
The
winegrowing gives the area a peculiar charm thanks to the
hills and mountains, which punctuate the sunny landscapes
of the area. The region has one of the best gastronomy of
France thanks to the diversity of soils, climates and traditions.
There are cheeses, meats, mushrooms,
fresh vegetables and delicious fruits. Let's quote, among
many others, Picadon (goat cheese), truffle,
olive, lamb, nougat, honey, peaches,
etc. All these typical products heavenly blend with regional
wines.
Let's
discover the diversity of French vineyards: Champagne,
Beaujolais Bourgogne, Alsace,
Loire Valley, Rhone Valley, Provence,
Bordeaux and Languedoc-Roussillon.
Rhone
Valley Wines 
