Subregion

Southern Rhône

Mediterranean

A broad, sun-baked basin where Grenache leads blends with Syrah and Mourvèdre, from Châteauneuf-du-Pape to everyday Côtes du Rhône.

Plan a trip through Southern Rhône

Overview

About Southern Rhône

The Southern Rhône is wider, warmer and far larger than the north, running from around Montélimar to the Mediterranean plains near Avignon. Grenache is the main grape, in blends with Syrah and Mourvèdre (GSM) and many other varieties. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the best known, and Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Rasteau and Lirac are good sources of quality wine, while Tavel is a well-known rosé.

The style is warm and generous: ripe red fruit, spice and garrigue herbs, with higher alcohol than in the north.

Hover a marker to see what's grown there, and click it to open that place. On a touch screen, tap once to preview and again to open. Bigger markers have more grapes linked to them.

France

Shaded: Drôme, Ardèche, Vaucluse, Gard. Map units are states, provinces or départements, so a smaller place appears as the larger area that contains it.

The land

Climate & terroir

Climate

Mediterranean

Hot, dry summers and mild winters, with plenty of sun. The Mistral blows from the north, drying the vines and reducing disease, and forcing growers to train vines low.

Terroir & soils

What the vines grow in

Diverse: round quartzite pebbles over clay at Châteauneuf, sand and clay in the plains, limestone in hillside sites like Gigondas, and sandy soils in the Ouvèze valley.

Go deeper

Rules, years & producers

The Southern Rhône has a clear pyramid, from the named crus at the top to the wide Côtes du Rhône base.

Crus
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Vinsobres, Rasteau, Cairanne, Beaumes-de-Venise and others, each a named appellation.
Côtes du Rhône Villages
Wines from named villages, some allowed to add the village name to the label.
Côtes du Rhône
The regional appellation and the largest tier, mostly Grenache-based reds.

Within Southern Rhône