Côtes du Rhône

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Varieties of interest

Terroir

• The geographical area extends, between Vienne and Avignon, across the territory of 6 departments bordering the Rhône on its western and eastern banks.
• During the Tertiary era, the Rhône valley was a Mediterranean fjord stretching as far as Vienne, with sedimentary basins open to the south and framed by Secondary-era uplands.
• The soils encountered are highly varied in nature, developed on fluvial terraces, on marls and soft limestones, or derived from erosion into marls, sands, sandstones, or molasse.
• The Rhône valley climate is Mediterranean in the southern part, with hot, dry summers and low annual rainfall, and temperate continental in the northern part, with rainfall levels comparable to those of the south.
• The climate is shaped by the action of the Mistral, a northerly wind that is often violent and invariably desiccating, blowing on average 120 days per year and promoting sunshine totals that consistently exceed 2,500 hours per year.
• The presence of mountains and hills framing the valley creates a channelling effect, known as the Venturi effect of the Rhône corridor, which amplifies wind strength.

• The 'vinum picatum', produced by the Allobroges — who established the Vienne vineyard as early as the first century BC, with vines planted as far south as Valence — is regarded as the ancestor of the wines of the northern part of the appellation.
• A decree of the Conseil d'État of 1737 required the three letters 'CDR' and the vintage year to be branded on the base of casks for around ten communes, including Roquemaure, Tavel, and Lirac, in order to prevent wines of inferior origin from being sold under the name of reputable crus.
• The specifications authorise the use of 21 different grape varieties for producing red, rosé, and white wines, while preserving the dominance of the Grenache variety, particularly in the southern part of the geographical area.
• The natural factors and viticultural practices of the part of the vineyard lying north of the so-called Montélimar parallel (44°33') call for adaptations relating to the grape variety composition and to the grape ripeness requirements.

• Red wines, which account for 93% of production, have a variable ageing potential depending on soil type, being lighter on sandy or sandy-loam soils and richer and more tannic on stony or clay soils.
• White wines, which account for 3% of production, are floral and round on the palate, with occasionally exotic notes.

• The Grenache variety is historically concentrated in the southern part of the zone, while Syrah is favoured in the northern part as it requires a lower cumulative heat sum to ripen.
• The Mistral, a violent, cold, and dry wind, exerts a sanitary effect that protects the vines from fungal disease, and this distinctive Rhône valley climate gives rise to red wines that are generous, deeply coloured, and well structured.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF) — approved 10 décembre 2024 publié au JORF du 12 décembre 2024, JORF 12 décembre 2024
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — Inter Rhône