Often divided between its northern and southern climes, the Rhône Valley is associated with both the purity of Syrah in the cooler northern appellations of Côte Rôtie and Hermitage. In warmer, more southerly, latitudes Syrah is a blending component (often with Grenache and Mourvèdre) in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the Côtes du Rhône.

Wine-Searcher editorial

Last updated 07-Mar-2024

The famous, oft-photographed Hermitage chapel, overlooking the Rhône river at Tain-l'Hermitage - the source of some of the greatest Syrah-based wines in the world | © Marcello Brunetti / shutterstock.com

Table of Contents

• Northern vs Southern Rhône: differences
• The Northern Rhône
• The Southern Rhône
• Clairette and Crémant de Die
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Most Popular Rhone Wine

The Rhône Valley is a key wine-producing region in the southeast of France. It follows the north–south course of the Rhône river for almost 240km (150 miles) from Lyon to the Rhône Delta (the "Bouches-du-Rhône") on the Mediterranean coast.

Northern vs Southern Rhône: differences

The length of the valley means that Rhône wines are the product of a wide variety of soil types and mesoclimates. The region's wine-producing areas cover such a distance that there is a widely accepted division between its northern and southern parts. Rather neatly, they are separated by a gap of 25 miles (40 km) between the towns of Valance and Montelimar, in which almost no vines are grown.

This division is reflected not only in geography and preferred grape varieties, but also in the quality and quantity of wines produced. The smaller, more quality-driven northern section focuses almost entirely on Syrah for red wines and Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne for whites, while the larger and more prolific south employs a much longer list of varieties.

The most notable of these are the red varieties Grenache and Mourvèdre, which are combined with Syrah to produce the 'GSM' blend so characteristic of the southern Rhone. While the granite-blessed slopes of the north are paired with a continental climate, the rocky, sandy soils of the flatter south enjoy the warmer winters of a Mediterranean climate.

Prestige is also a key differentiator between the northern and southern areas of the Rhone. The north boasts old and highly respected names, such as Hermitage and Côte Rôtie, but it accounts for only five percent of the valley's total wine production.

The remaining 95 percent is made in the south under often less-prestigious and less region-specific names. The south is not entirely lacking in prestige, however, as it is here that the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation is located.

The Northern Rhône

While best-known as the Syrah heartland of the Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage, along with the associated appellations of Crozes-Hermitage, Cornas, Saint-Péray and Saint-Joseph, the northern Rhône also boasts Viognier's home soils of Condrieu and the single-estate appellation of Château-Grillet, just south of the town of Ampuis – the focal point of the Côte-Rôtie.

While the north is often – in perception, at least – restricted to small appellation titles associated with small areas, it is worth bearing in mind Saint-Joseph appellation runs for 150km (90 miles) on the west bank of the Rhône between Chavanay (in southern Condrieu) in the north and Giulherand-Granges, opposite Valance, in the south.

The northern Rhône is also home to the IGP titles of Collines Rhodaniennes and also falls under the very broad catchment of the Comtés Rhodaniennes title (which also encompasses Beaujolais and Savoie).

The north-south division is not complete, however. An important, unifying constant between the two areas is the regional Côtes du Rhône appellation, which can be claimed by red, rosé and white wines from all over the valley.

This title covers 171 communes over the 200km (125 miles) between Vienne in the north and Avignon in the south – the towns that mark the beginning and end of the main valley.

While these wines are still subject to the rules and regulations of the appellation laws, they rarely match up to the quality required from more location-specific titles such as Saint-Joseph or Gigondas.

The Southern Rhône

Broadly speaking, the southern section of the (viticultural) Rhône valley begins at Montélimar and runs south. The northernmost appellation here is Grignan-les-Adhémar, which was formerly known as the Coteaux du Tricastin but renamed in 2011 after the establishment of the controversial Tricastin nuclear power plant. On the other, western, side of the river is Côtes du Vivarais, in the Ardèche.

Immediately south of Grignan-les-Adhémar and the Côtes du Vivarais lie the broad Côtes du Rhône Villages titles, restricted to specific villages and comunes whose terroir produces wine of a slightly higher quality. These regions are spread either side of the river around the town of Orange. 

The Côtes du Rhône Villages title covers around 20 such regions (the list changes over time) and wines from a single zone can append their region to the label, producing the likes of Côtes du Rhone Villages Saint-Maurice-sur-Eygues.

Some areas use their Villages status as a stepping stone to the creation of an appellation. For instance, Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne became the Cairanne appellation (regionally known as a "cru") in 2016.

As well the Côtes du Rhône Villages and their cru titles (which includes the likes of Vacqueyras, Rasteau and Gigondas), the wider region also hosts the prestigious Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation (between Orange and Avignon on the east bank of the river) as well as Lirac and Tavel on the western side of the Rhône.

While well-known for its hearty, sometimes sublime, sometimes rustic, red and white blends, the area also produces a number of well-regarded, fortified, sweet white vin doux naturels (or VDNs), primarily from Rasteau (its VDN appellation title predates that of its dry wines) and the better-known Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise.

Beyond the Côtes du Rhône Villages to the southeast lie the Ventoux and Luberon titles, the latter on the border with Provence. To the southwest, around the ancient city of Nîmes, lie the Duche d'Uzès (to the north) and Costières de Nîmes (to the south) appellations, before the Languedoc begins further west.

Clairette and Crémant de Die

One small but important area not covered by the obvious north/south divide is the Die district to the east of the Rhône. Located 50km (30 miles) east of Valence and Montélimar, the ancient town of Die sits at the foot of the French Alps.

This area produces sparkling wines under the appellations Clairette de Die and Crémant de Die, as well as some still whites under the Coteaux de Die title.

Supplementary information about Rhône Valley wines can be obtained from the region's trade body, Inter Rhone.