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  Quaffers® Feature - September 2002
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 The Rhône valley lies to the central south east of France. The last section of it stretches from Vienne down to Avignon and produces what we know as Rhône wines. But this feature will concentrate on just the northern Rhône between Vienne and Valence - a distance of about 70 kilometres and in which there are eight important 'crus' or villages with their own AC status. Despite only producing 5% of the wine from the region, it is the northern Rhône that produces the finest wines. From north to south the eight crus are:
Côte Rôtie, Condrieu, Château Grillet, St Joseph, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Cornas and St Péray.
 Traditionally the Rhône wines were the most sought after in France. Even the Romans didn't bother to plant vines here as those already in place were managing to produce vintages to match the great wines of Rome! The region lost out to Bordeaux and Burgundy from the middle ages onwards, however, largely due to the distance of the area from the major centres of consumption. All winemaking regions were subject to the ravages of war and the neglect that often followed the devastation, but Bordeaux benefited from the trade with England and Burgundian wines found their way to Paris. Although it is Bordeaux that sets the standard among fine wines today, the very best from the Rhône are exciting, powerful and have the ability to age gracefully.
The only black grape of the northern Rhône is Syrah - a thick, dark-skinned berry that creates concentrated, tannic wine full of jammy fruit layered with pepper, spice and tar. In the greatest examples, the flavours evolve to give way to a cornucopia of sweet blackberries, plums, raspberries and violets enveloped in soft leather and chocolatey spice. The white wines are produced from three principal grapes - Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne. Viognier is a deep-coloured robust grape with a high natural sugar content. It produces wines that are full-bodied, high in alcohol and have a beautiful perfume of apricot, peach kernel, honeysuckle and blossom. Once only found in the northern Rhône, Viognier is now being grown around the world. Its wines are best drunk young. Roussanne is also a deep-coloured grape. Its flavour is often compared to a herb tea and its high levels of acidity means it ages well and is a useful blending partner. Marsanne produces full-bodied wines that often have an almondy/marzipan aroma and is fast becoming a popular variety in Australia, though not a producer of fine wines.
The cru vineyards of the northern Rhône all closely hug the river as it winds its way towards the Mediterranean. The altitudes are high, the slopes are impossibly steep and all of the best sites expose the grapes to the sun for most of the day, ensuring maximum ripening time. In Côte Rôtie the vines are trained in a 'wigwam' shape because of the severity of the slope and for protection against the Mistral wind. Six of the eight crus lie to the west of the river, with Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage on the eastern side.
Côte Rôtie
Of the eight crus, five are red or mainly red and three are white. The most northerly of these is the famous Côte Rôtie ('roasted slope'), producing red wines of tremendous quality and elegance. Up to 20% of Viognier may be added to the Syrah to give perfume and to soften the tannin in these wines which contributes to its velvety taste. The two finest sites within Côte Rôtie are the Côte Brune and the Côte Blonde. Legend has it that these two sites were named after the two daughters of the local duke to express the styles of wines produced from grapes grown in these areas. The dark-haired daughter was rather plain as a young woman, with little to recommend her. As she aged, however, she developed a warm personality and her beauty blossomed. The wines from Côte Brune are similar. They are intense and harsh when young, but develop and age beautifully. The wines from the Côte Blonde, on the other hand, are charming, soft and approachable in their youth but fade in old age, as the other sister did!
Condrieu
Condrieu produces only white wines made from the Viognier grape. The appellation consists of just 20 KM of terraced vineyards. The wines are bottled after six months to retain the beautiful perfume. Only a relatively small amount is produced due to the size of the appellation and the low yields of the Viognier grape. Prices for Condrieu are, therefore, very high.
Château Grillet
Château Grillet is a single estate with its own AC appellation within Condrieu. It too only produces white wines from the Viognier grape. There are two major differences, however, between the wines from these neighbouring crus. The first is that the wines from Château Grillet are aged in oak for 18 months. They tend to be lighter and drier in style. Secondly, the wines are bottled in brown, hock bottles rather than the traditional Burgundian bottles. Production of these wines is very tiny at about 1,100 cases each year.
 St Joseph
St Joseph is the next appellation to the south of Condrieu and Château Grillet. It is the second largest, with 25 communes, and lies opposite Hermitage. 90% of its production is red wines made from Syrah; the rest is white made from Marsanne and Roussanne. St Joseph wines are the lightest and fruitiest of the northern Rhône reds and can be drunk within three years of the vintage. In the past there were many poor sites, but these have been eradicated and the whole appellation has improved its levels of quality.
Crozes-Hermitage
Crozes-Hermitage is a growing appellation with 11 communes centred around the town of Tain to the east of the river. It is the largest cru in volume terms and produces mainly red wines. The vineyards tend to be flatter than elsewhere and have less granite and more limestone and clay. The wines are often quite light and are made less traditionally than the other cru red wines. As they are bottled within a year they usually have less ageing potential than wines from the other crus.
Hermitage
The vineyards of Hermitage are on the hill of Hermitage high above the towns of Tain and Tournon where the slopes of granite are precariously steep. 80% of wines are full-bodied red wines that are rich, tannic and intensely powerful. The best of these wines can age for around 30 years. White Hermitage is made from Marsanne and Roussanne using cool fermentation methods. These wines are dry with a peachy and herb scent and a nutty finish.
Cornas
Cornas is the penultimate cru in the northern Rhône and is relatively small. The vineyards look like an amphitheatre and receive masses of sunlight and warmth and are well protected from the wind. The red wines produced here are better than those from St Joseph and Crozes Hermitage and the best can rival Hermitage, though are a little more rustic. They can be rich, full and vigorous, needing a minimum of six to eight years before they are ready to drink.
St Péray
St Péray is the southernmost cru of the northern Rhône. It produces mainly sparkling wine made using the traditional method (like Champagne) with primarily the Marsanne grape, but also with Roussanne and Roussette. The resultant wine has an herb-like aroma and a nutty taste. A small amount of still white wine is also produced.
If you like full bodied, fruity and spicy reds or perfumed, aromatic whites then the northern Rhône wines are a good bet. Look out for the well-known négociants such as Guigal, Paul Jaboulet Ainé, Chapoutier et al. These firms produce very reliable examples of wines from the various crus and are a good place to start in your exploration of this region's wines.
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| Coming up next month: Riesling - love it or loathe it, this great grape is versatile and capable of making some of the world's most stunning wines. Read our feature next month to find out more. |
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