The Ctes Du Rhne Wine Region Of France

The Rhone Valley wine region of France looks very much like a small version of Italy as it stretches roughly 200 kilometers from south of Lyon to just south of Avignon. In this part of France the weather varies from the cold winters and warm summers of the Rhone to the classic Mediterranean where winters are mild and summers are hot.

The relatively more constant sunshine combines with granite soil in the north and limestone soil in the south to produce Carignan, Grenache and Syrah used in the production of red wines and Ugni Blanc, Grenache Blanc and Clairette used in the production of white wines.

The Grenache is the dominant grape with 55 percent of the total red wine grapes grown while the Clairette makes up 35 percent of white wine grapes grown. Overall about 8,000 to 10,000 winemakers produce some 450 million bottles of wine on a vast 170,000 acres of land of which 75 percent is devoted to the fruity reds of Ch�teauneuf du Pape in the south and the full-bodied C�te R�tie in the north.

The village of Chartreuse de Valbonne enjoys a very different climate from that of the surrounding area. Sheltered by forest atop horseshoe-shaped hills there are numerous terraces composed of limestone and stony chalk. Some barrels from this area date back to the thirteenth century and the area around the village is home to plump Viognier, Grenache noir and spicy Syrah grapes with aromas of violet and acacia honey.

Considered some of the best C�tes du Rh�ne villages are Cairanne and Rasteau with Rasteau's tannic Domaine du Trapadis being preferred by those who are seeking a more zesty wine and Cairanne's softer Domaine Catherine Le Goeuil being appreciated by those people who are a bit more easy going.

From the C�tes du Rh�ne villages clay and stony limestone soil come the Syrah and Grenache grapes that are turned into some 19,000,000 bottles of medium-bodied fruity red wines.

The history of Gigondas wine can be traced back to the Roman Empire and advantage is taken nowadays of the red clay soil and Mediterranean weather to ferment an perfumed alternative to the more expensive Ch�teauneuf du Pape. On approximately 3,000 acres vintners grow the Syrah, Grenacha and Mourv�dre grapes that go into making 5.5 million bottles of this excellent wine.

For those whose tongue requires a little shock of pleasure there is the Vignobles Darriaud's Grenache Syrah which is a full-bodied red with plumy and earthy aromas and with chocolate tones that mingle with a peppery finish after the wine has been allowed to age for some 3 to 5 years.

Finally, we must take a look at the slopes of Ch�teauneuf du Pape which lie between Orange and Avignon and which were once summer retreat of many Popes. The wine is thick and richly colored by the Clairette, Syrah, Grenache and some ten other grape varieties. On in the region of 7,600 acres of quartz and sandy red clay soil are grown the vines that produce 13,000,000 bottles of wine that can age for up to 20 years with aromas of vanilla, red fruits and cinnamon.