One of the most sought after red wine regions in France, following Burgundy and Bordeaux, the Rhône is a valley that starts due south of Lyon and continues along the Rhône River until Provence. Viticulture and winemaking make up an important part of its history and date as far back as the Roman occupation, starting in the 1st century if not before. Due to its notable length, it has varying soils, exposition, micro-climates and varieties. The north is home to appellations such as Côte-Rotie, Hermitage, Crozes Hermitage and Cornas and features Syrah as its sole red grape. Its whites include Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier, the latter even comprising its own appellation, Château Grillet. At only 3.8 hectares in size, it is the smallest in the region and one of the smallest in France. In its southern half of the Rhône, the wines are notably different. The vineyards are hotter, flatter and composed of different soils and varieties, such as Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Carignan as well as the ubiquitous Syrah. The resulting wines such as Châteauneuf du Pape, are rich and robust with lots of character and warmth.
