|
Rhône wines are some of the most remarkable and
distinguished wines in France, and the Rhône
valley is divided into two distinct areas. The
Northern Rhône starts just south of Vienne and
stretches to Valence where it produces red wines from
the single, noble variety, Syrah from illustrious
producers such as Jean-Louis Chave for Hermitage,
Patrick Jasmin for Côte Rôtie, and
Auguste and Pierre Clape for Cornas. These Northern
Rhône wines are full-bodied, have fantastic
ageing potential and are marvellous accompaniments to
hearty meat dishes, whilst lighter, more forward-style
Rhône reds such as Crozes Hermitage & Saint
Joseph serve as cheaper alternatives. Three grapes,
Viognier (notably at Condrieu & Château
Grillet), Marsanne and Roussanne, are responsible for
the white wines which, like the reds, are rich,
full-bodied and make superb matches to smoked fish
and poultry.
“The bottom line is that there has never
been a better time for the smart money to buy into
the Rhône – whether you’re a
drinker, collector or, indeed, an investor”
John Stimpfig, Decanter Magazine 2007
|