While driving to the south of France this summer , you'll probably go through the area south of LYON Take your time and stop at a winemaker to taste the THE COTES DU RHONE wines

FROM VIENNE TO AVIGNON, the banks of the river Rhone has been home to vines and winemakers for some 2000 years. ,Vines grow on the both banks of the river in the provinces of Rhone, Loire and Ardeche. Gard , Drome and Vaucluse.

There are 23 grape varieties which go into the making of Cotes du Rhone wines : the most commons used to make red wines are Syrah and Grenache with Mourvedre, Cinsault or Carignan often added. Viognier, Roussanne , Marsanne, Grenache Blanc, Clairet and Bourboulenc grapes are used for white wines

CLASSIFICATION

N° 1 THE CRUS OF THE RHONE VALLEY 13 fine wines ( Crus )

The Northern Crus from Vienne to valence include : red COTE ROTIE, white CONDRIEU, white CHATEAU GRILLET, red and white SAINT JOSEPH, CROZES-HERMITAGE , HERMITAGE, red CORNAS and white SAINT PERAY

The Southern Crus from Montelimar to Avignon are red and white CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE ,red and rose GIGONDAS, red, rose and white VACQUEYRAS , LIRAC and rose TAVEL.

N°2 - AOC COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES - The appellation is given to wines from 77 communes . Those wines are subject to their own set of rules which strictly control the planting of varieties in given areas, cultivation techniques, maximum yield and vinification methods. Because these high criteria must be met, the quality of the Cotes du Rhone Villages wines was continued to improve ever since the granting of the AOC in 1966.

16 of the villages which come under this appellation may also affix their name to the Cotes du Rhone appellation ( 5 of these villages located in the Drome are : Vinsobres, Rousset les Vignes, Rochegude, Saint Maurice, Saint Pantaleon les Vignes

Another 8 are found in the Vaucluse and are : Cairanne, Rasteau, Roaix , Beaumes de Venise, Sablet, Seguret, Valreas and Visan. Finally, 3 communes in the gard being namely : Chusclan , Laudun and St Gervais

N°3 - AOC COTES DU RHONE REGIONAL WINES - Rregional Cotes du Rhone wines make up 80 % of the entire production and are of an extremely high quality. These red, rose, and white wines are made in 163 communes and offer a great variety of styles they are as varied as the land they come from , yet they are always full flevoured. This, of course makes them so popular.

Reds: There are a great number of red wines with full bouquets and great flavours. They are full-bodied and intense in colour. They may either be drunk young or matured for several years.

Roses : The rose wines are typical of the southern rhone wines. Today, their characterisitc style is shown to its very best advantage through the use of careful vinification techniques. Short macertaion using black grapes, gives respberry coloured wines with hints of salmon-pink. They are fruity and full-flavoured wines .

Whites / White wine production is fairly new to the south. Once again, thanks to the skill of the winemaker, white wines produced throughout this area are dry, well-structured , highly aromatic and very thirst quenching.

A FEW FACTS & FIGURES

3,5 ha : Chateaeu Grillet : one of the greatest white wine produced in France . 56,600 ha : the entire surface of vieyards in Cotes du Rhone making it the second highest producing French appellation

11 degrees : the minimum alcohol content required for a wine to qualify for a regional appellation

13 grape varieties : Total number of grape varieties which may be used to make CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE

45 degrees latitude North The Cotes du Rhone region lies along this parallel which means ideal levels of sunshine and rain.

40 years old. The age of very old bottle of Cornas, sometimes found at an auction of fine wines

Now , take a bottle of Cotes du Rhone, whether you have selected a cru, a village wine or a Cotes du Rhone AOC, you should take your time to enjoy this wine. Pour a glass and observe the colour and the glints within the wine. Swirl the wine gently in the glass in order to fully release its bouquet. Then slowly savour the first taste on your tongue and palate. With wines of such quality, you will not be dispppointed .

FUGUES EN FRANCE can set up tours for you in France as well as cooking courses
Catherine Thevenin
FUGUES EN FRANCE
Email: fugues@club-internet.fr
Website: http://www.bonappetit-france.com

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