Comtés Rhodaniens is a regional PGI title that covers the red, white and rosé wines of a large area along the Rhône River in Southeastern France. The PGI catchment area includes the wine regions of Savoie and the Northern Rhône, as well as Part of Beaujolais. The PGI is most often used for wines produced in Vineyards outside the boundaries of the many AOC-level appellations: from Vin de Savoie to Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage. The territory of the Rhone Counties covers parts of nine separate departments on the way to the Rhône.
Beginning on the southern shores of Lake Geneva, the boundaries of the PGI extend south beyond Lyon to the prestigious wine regions of the northern Rhône Valley. The permitted vineyard area also includes the thin strip of farmland between the Rhône and Loire rivers in the Loire department (although the famous vineyards of the Loire Valley are hundreds of kilometres to the north). As this is the Comtés Rhodaniens, it is not surprising that the Terroir here is very varied. The continental peaks of the Alps in the northern part of the region give way to the mountains of the lower Massif Central in the south, which have a warmer and drier MediterraneanClimate, due to their proximity to the coast.
Pinot noir is an important red grape variety in Burgundy and Champagne, and its reputation is well known! Great wines such as the Domaine de la Romanée Conti elaborate their wines from this famous grape variety, and make it a great variety. When properly vinified, pinot noit produces red wines of great finesse, with a wide range of aromas depending on its advancement (fruit, undergrowth, leather). it is also the only red grape variety authorized in Alsace. Pinot Noir is not easily cultivated beyond our borders, although it has enjoyed some success in Oregon, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
red wines from the region of Comtés Rhodaniens go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of pork tongue with bacon and onions, lamb tagine with preserved lemons and onion compote with... or duck breast with black figs.
