Key Grapes
White
Viognier Condrieu, Château-Grillet
Marsanne Hermitage, St-Joseph, St-Péray
Roussanne More aromatic; ages better
Grenache Blanc Southern blends
Clairette Clairette de Die; CdP white
Red
Syrah ONLY red in North; "Sérine"
Grenache Dominant in South (80%)
Mourvèdre Structure; late-ripening
North vs South
| North | South | |
|---|---|---|
| Climate | Continental | Mediterranean |
| Red grape | Syrah only | GSM blends |
| Production | 5% | 95% |
| Slopes | Steep terraces | Flatter; galets |
| Style | Elegant, peppery | Rich, warm |
Gap: 50 km between North + South (no vines)
Mistral Wind
| Direction | North/Northwest |
| Speed | Up to 130 km/hr |
| Frequency | 100+ days/year |
| Benefits | Dries vines; reduces disease |
| Challenge | Can damage vines |
Gobelet: Bush vines resist wind; mandatory in some AOCs
Northern Rhône AOCs (All require Syrah for reds)
| AOC | Year | Style | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Côte-Rôtie | 1940 | Red (+ 20% Viognier) | Côte Brune (iron) vs Côte Blonde (limestone); steep terraces |
| Condrieu | 1940 | White only | 100% Viognier; aromatic; saved from extinction (8 ha in 1965) |
| Château-Grillet | 1936 | White only | 100% Viognier; MONOPOLE (3.5 ha); own AOC within Condrieu |
| Saint-Joseph | 1956 | Red + White | Largest Northern AOC; west bank; Marsanne/Roussanne whites |
| Crozes-Hermitage | 1937 | Red + White | Largest N. Rhône by volume; surrounds Hermitage; more accessible |
| Hermitage | 1937 | Red + White | Most prestigious; hill with named lieux-dits; Vin de Paille allowed |
| Cornas | 1938 | Red only | 100% Syrah; NO white grapes; full-bodied; "burnt earth" |
| Saint-Péray | 1936 | White + Spark | Southernmost North; 100% Marsanne/Roussanne; still + sparkling |
Hermitage Lieux-Dits
| Lieu-Dit | Exposure |
|---|---|
| La Chapelle | Top; most famous |
| Le Méal | South; warm |
| Les Bessards | Granite; powerful |
| L'Hermite | Top; original site |
| Les Greffieux | Lower; lighter |
Legend: Knight Gaspard de Sterimberg (1224)
Southern Rhône AOCs — Crus
| AOC | Year | Style | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 1936 | W + Red | 18 varieties allowed; galets roulés; 1st AOC rules (1923) |
| Gigondas | 1971 | R + Rosé | Dentelles de Montmirail; min 50% Grenache; powerful |
| Vacqueyras | 1990 | W, R, Rosé | Grenache-based; promoted from Villages 1990 |
| Vinsobres | 2006 | Red only | Min 50% Syrah OR Grenache; cooler; elevation |
| Beaumes-de-Venise | 2005 | Red only | Dry reds (separate from Muscat VDN) |
| Rasteau | 2010 | Red only | Dry reds (also VDN); Grenache-based |
| Cairanne | 2016 | W + Red | Newest Cru; promoted from Villages |
| Lirac | 1947 | W, R, Rosé | West bank; across from CdP; all 3 colors |
| Tavel | 1936 | Rosé ONLY | France's most famous rosé AOC; deep color; gastronomic |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
| Varieties | 18 (13 original + 5 added) |
| Primary | Grenache (80%+ typical) |
| Soil | Galets roulés (stones) |
| 1st AOC rules | Baron Le Roy, 1923 |
| Bottle | Embossed papal keys |
13 "Classic": Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Muscardin, Counoise, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Picpoul, Picardan, Vaccarèse, Terret Noir
Regional AOCs
| AOC | Year | Style | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Côtes du Rhône | 1937 | W, R, Rosé | Regional; 171 communes; 6 depts; min 40% Grenache (red) |
| Côtes du Rhône-Villages | 1966 | W, R, Rosé | 95 communes; 22 Named Villages can appear on label |
| Grignan-les-Adhémar | 2010 | W, R, Rosé | Northern Drôme; formerly Coteaux du Tricastin |
| Luberon | 1988 | W, R, Rosé | Southeast; cooler; Provence influence |
| Ventoux | 1973 | W, R, Rosé | Mt Ventoux slopes; cool nights; lighter style |
| Costières de Nîmes | 1986 | W, R, Rosé | Southernmost; galets roulés; Languedoc border |
22 Named Villages
Chusclan • Laudun • Massif d'Uchaux • Plan de Dieu • Puyméras • Roaix • Rochegude • Rousset-les-Vignes • Sablet • Saint-Gervais • Saint-Maurice • Saint-Pantaléon-les-Vignes • Séguret • Signargues • Suze-la-Rousse • Vaison-la-Romaine • Valréas • Visan • Gadagne • Nyons • Sainte-Cécile • Saint-Andéol
Note: Named villages = higher quality; stricter rules than basic Villages
VDNs & Sparkling
Vin Doux Naturel
Muscat Beaumes-de-Venise: 1945; 100% Muscat à PG
Rasteau VDN: 1944; Grenache-based; Grenat, Tuilé, Ambré
Sparkling
Clairette de Die: Muscat + Clairette; méthode ancestrale
Crémant de Die: 100% Clairette; traditional method
Saint-Péray: Marsanne/Roussanne; traditional
Côte-Rôtie Detail
| Côte Brune | Iron-rich mica schist; darker |
| Côte Blonde | Lighter gneiss; elegant |
| Viognier | Up to 20% co-fermented |
| Terraces | Steepest in France (60°) |
Legend: Lord Maugiron's daughters (blonde + brunette)
Guigal La-Las: La Mouline, La Landonne, La Turque
History
| 600 BCE | Greeks plant vines (Marseille) |
| 1224 | Hermitage legend (Sterimberg) |
| 1309-77 | Papal Avignon; CdP name |
| 1923 | Baron Le Roy's AOC rules |
| 1936 | First AOCs established |
| 1965 | Condrieu: only 8 ha left |
Baron Le Roy: CdP; defined terroir, varieties, practices → model for INAO
Top Exam Points — Memorize These!
North = Syrah ONLY; South = GSMNorth 5% production; steep terraces; continental. South 95%; Mediterranean; galets roulés
Côte-Rôtie: Brune vs BlondeBrune = iron/mica (dark); Blonde = gneiss (elegant); up to 20% Viognier co-fermented
Condrieu saved from extinctionOnly 8 ha in 1965; 100% Viognier; Château-Grillet = monopole within
Hermitage = most prestigiousNamed lieux-dits (La Chapelle, Les Bessards); Vin de Paille allowed; knight legend
Cornas = 100% Syrah, NO whiteOnly Northern AOC forbidding white grapes in red; "burnt earth"
CdP = 1st AOC rules (1923)Baron Le Roy; 18 varieties; galets roulés; embossed bottle; papal history
Tavel = rosé ONLY AOCFrance's most famous rosé; deep color; gastronomic style; 9 varieties
Crozes = largest N. Rhône volumeSaint-Joseph = largest N. Rhône area; St-Péray = southernmost North