Northern Rhône
Northern Rhône (French: Vallée du Rhône septentrionale) is the upstream section of the Rhône Valley in France, extending roughly 65 kilometres between the towns of Vienne and Valence. It is renowned for its steep hillside vineyards, dominated by Syrah for red wines and select aromatic white varieties, producing some of the most distinctive and long-lived wines of France.[1]
Geography and History
The Northern Rhône is geographically distinct from the broader Southern Rhône, being narrower, cooler, and influenced by a continental climate. Vineyards are often planted on steep, terraced slopes along the river, exposed to the cold Mistral wind.[2]
Viticulture was introduced by the Romans and expanded during the Middle Ages, with monasteries playing a central role in maintaining vineyards. The region’s reputation for fine wine was established early, with Hermitage in particular celebrated in European courts by the eighteenth century.[3]
Terroir and Grape Varieties
Granite is the dominant soil type, often mixed with schist, gneiss, and loess, creating diverse terroirs across the appellations. The climate is characterised by cold winters and warm summers, with the Mistral wind reducing disease pressure and influencing grape ripening.[4]
Syrah is the only red grape authorised in the Northern Rhône and is responsible for wines of deep colour, firm tannins, and notable ageing capacity. White grapes include Viognier, producing intensely aromatic wines in Condrieu and Château-Grillet, and Marsanne and Roussanne, which are often blended in Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, and Saint-Joseph.[5]
Appellations and Wine Styles
The region is composed of a series of well-defined appellations:
- Côte-Rôtie – prestigious Syrah wines, often blended with up to 20% Viognier.
- Condrieu – exclusively Viognier, producing richly perfumed whites.
- Château-Grillet – a small monopole appellation devoted to Viognier.
- Hermitage – benchmark Syrah and Marsanne/Roussanne whites of great longevity.
- Crozes-Hermitage – the largest appellation, producing approachable reds and whites.
- Saint-Joseph – Syrah reds and white blends of Marsanne and Roussanne.
- Cornas – robust, ageworthy reds from pure Syrah.
- Saint-Péray – still and sparkling wines, predominantly from Marsanne.
These appellations produce reds ranging from elegant and perfumed to dense and powerful, alongside whites that vary from aromatic Viognier to fuller-bodied, nutty Marsanne-based wines.[6]
Reputation and Market
Northern Rhône wines enjoy a global reputation, often compared with Bordeaux and Burgundy in terms of prestige. Iconic names such as Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie are highly sought after by collectors, while the region’s Syrah wines have influenced plantings worldwide. Whites from Condrieu and Château-Grillet are regarded as benchmarks for Viognier. Ageworthy reds and limited production contribute to strong demand in international markets.[7]
See also
References
- ↑ Johnson & Robinson, The World Atlas of Wine, 8th ed., Mitchell Beazley, 2019.
- ↑ Robinson (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Wine, Oxford University Press, 2015.
- ↑ Livingstone-Learmonth, The Wines of the Northern Rhône, Infinite Ideas, 2019.
- ↑ Johnson & Robinson, The World Atlas of Wine, 8th ed., 2019.
- ↑ Robinson (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Wine, 2015.
- ↑ Inter Rhône, “Les vins de la Vallée du Rhône septentrionale”, vins-rhone.com.
- ↑ Livingstone-Learmonth, The Wines of the Northern Rhône, 2019.