The Rhone Valley is a key wine-producing region in Southeastern France. It follows the North-south course of the Rhône for nearly 240 km, from Lyon to the Rhône delta (Bouches-du-Rhône), near the Mediterranean coast. The Length of the valley means that Rhône wines are the product of a wide variety of soil types and mesoclimates. The viticultural areas of the region cover such a distance that there is a widely accepted division between its northern and southern parts.
They are separated quite clearly by a 40 km gap between the towns of Valance and Montélimar, where vines are hardly ever grown. This division is reflected not only in the geography and preferred Grape varieties, but also in the quality and quantity of the wines produced. The smaller, more quality-oriented north focuses almost entirely on Syrah for red wines and Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne for whites, while the larger, more prolific south employs a much longer list of grape varieties. Most notable are the red varieties Grenache and Mourvèdre, which are combined with Syrah to produce the "GSM" blend so characteristic of the southern Rhône.
Rolle is a white grape variety of Turkish origin that has become established in the South of France, particularly in the Var region, in Corsica under the name of Vermentinu, and in Italy. Its bunches and berries, of medium size, change from white to pink when the grapes are ripe. The rolle likes hot climates where the soil is dry and poor. On the other hand, it fears the wind and diseases. It produces fat, well-balanced white wines. These wines may lack acidity, but they are still very aromatic and give off notes of grapefruit, white fruit, white flowers, fennel, etc. Rolle is also a good table grape that can be enjoyed both fresh and dry. Present in Provence, Languedoc, Roussillon and Corsica. It is used in the composition of numerous appellations such as Ajaccio, Patrimonio, Bandol, Coteaux-d'Aix-en-Provence, Côtes-de-Provence, Costières-de-Nîmes, Corbières, Collioure, Côtes-de-Roussillon, Minervois, Saint Chinian...
white wines from the region of Rhone Valley go well with generally quite well with dishes of pork, rich fish (salmon, tuna etc) or mature and hard cheese such as recipes of veal saltimbocca, codfish aioli or endive and avocado salad.
Titled A Life in Wine: Gérard Basset, the World’s Favourite Sommelier, the one hour-long film is produced by leading London wine club 67 Pall Mall’s on-site 67pallmall.tv studio and production team. ‘I was introduced to [Basset’s wife] Nina and [son] Romané in October 2021 where we sat and discussed a potential tribute, lovingly made by those closest to him, that would inspire people and tell the story of his incredible life,’ said 67 Pall Mall producer Kiki Hopkins. ‘We worked on a list of trea ...
This is the highest level set since the 2008 vintage, and comes off the back of continued sales growth of Champagne around the world. It is in stark contrast to the 2020 vintage, which was set at 8,000kg per hectare, one of the lowest yields set in recent years, following both drought and a vast drop in consumer demand during the pandemic, which saw sales drop by 18%. In 2021, Champagne experienced one of its most difficult growing seasons for many years, with frost, hail, rain and disease wreak ...
Taking place on the 1st December at Christie’s London headquarters, the auction was made up of 87 lots which opened the Finest and Rarest Wines & Spirits auction. Bidding took place in the spectacular auction room where a selection of DWWA award winners was also available to taste before and throughout the auction. The DWWA auction attracted buyers from all over the world, across four continents. The rise and rise of Burgundy As noted by Christie’s wine specialist and auctioneer Charlie Fole ...
