Terroir and grape varieties

It all comes down to the region’s rather turbulent geological past, which has left it with a variety of different landscapes. At its start between the Massif Central and the Alps, the Rhône Valley is relatively narrow, broadening out as we move south towards Montélimar and beyond. The landscape is a mix of sheer slopes, hills and plains, all framed by the rugged peaks of distant mountains.

The Massif Central first of all; these are mainly granite and other rock dating back over 300 million years to the Primary geological period. Meanwhile the left bank, to the east of the river, is part of the Alpine foothills and features gentler slopes and rolling hillsides.

Much of the landscape has been shaped by erosion, giving the Côtes du Rhône its distinctive peaks and slopes. Also, over the years, the river has deposited alluvium in places, and chunks of rock known as pudding stones (the famous galets roulés) most often seen in the southern part of the appellation. 

In the northern part, the vineyards hug the riverbanks, and the climate is continental (hot summers and cold winters). The vines grow on steep slopes carved from the rocks of the Massif Central mountains.

The northern part of the Rhône Valley consists almost entirely of sloping ground, from Lyon all the way down to Valence. Vineyards cling to steep, narrow terraces – some no more than a couple of metres wide – supported by low stone walls. It takes a lot of ingenuity and sheer hard work to grow just a few acres of vines.

The terraces have been around since Gallo-Roman times, possibly built by Roman legionaries stationed near the town of Vienne. And they’ve proved over and over again that it was worth the trouble.

It must have been back-breaking work and needed a lot of technical skill, and even once the terraces were built, the work wasn’t over – tending the vines was just as laborious. Even now, all vineyard work is done by hand, including pruning, weeding and harvesting, and coaxing the vines into giving us high yields can be hard work. But those legionaries knew what they were doing, as the advantages far outweigh the hardships. On the terraces, the sun hits the soil at right angles for maximum energy, while the stone walls absorb heat by day, releasing it back to the vines at night to boost ripening, giving exciting, top-quality wines.

The southern zone is mellower, more Mediterranean in character. And we can further subdivide this into 3 distinct terroir types:

Limestone soils; vines in this type of soil are relatively unusual in the southern Côtes du Rhône. They’re seen primarily in the Dentelles de Montmirail, for example, cheek by jowl with the craggy, soaring mountains. Limestone terroirs give wines elegance and precision, and are great for whites.
Sandy soils are a feature of the stone-covered hillsides, and are planted with Grenache and Syrah to give light, fruity wines.
Free-draining terraces of smooth, rounded pudding-stones where Grenache is blended with Syrah and Mourvèdre give smooth, velvety wines with plenty of ripe fruit and a touch of spice. White wines are rich and elegant.

The Côtes du Rhône wines hierarchy – a pyramid with the Côtes du Rhône regional appellation at its base and Côtes du Rhône Villages (with or without village name) on the level above – makes detailed distinctions between specific types of terroir, and helps you make your choice.

• Sandy
• Limestone
• Clay
• Rocky

North

• The northern Côtes du Rhône are mainly planted on hillsides on the left and right banks of the Rhône.

South

• To the south, the landscapes are much more varied between hills, steep terrain, alluvial plains, plateaus and terraces.

• Mediterranean influenced by Mistral wind

• About 2300 hours per year

Clearly the weather, particularly the sun, affects the speed at which grapes ripen. As we travel from the north of the valley down towards the Mediterranean, the average number of sunshine hours per year gradually increases. The area just south of Lyon has between 1,900 and 2,100 hours of sunshine each year, rising to between 2,200 and 2,300 towards the middle of the valley around Valence, and reaching an impressive 2,800 plus hours of sunshine around Avignon. 

The average annual level of sunshine in the Côtes du Rhône is among the highest in France. Given the differences in climate, harvests are generally earlier in the south than the north, and the wines lean more towards a warm-climate style – smooth and rich with ripe fruit flavours and less acidity.

Wines from the Côtes du Rhône regional and Côtes du Rhône Villages appellations are blended wines at their best.

In the blend of the three main grape varieties used for the Côtes du Rhône (Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre), Syrah dominates in the north of the valley where it originates, Grenache and Mourvèdre of Spanish origin are more established in the south.

These three are at the very heart of the Côtes du Rhône, giving well-structured, flavourful wines which age well.

Iconic and main grape variety

Syrah is the northern Côtes du Rhône’s iconic grape, and is the only red grape used for the Crus. It creates powerful flavours of blackcurrant, blueberry, violet and blackberry, and an ageing potential to rival many of the French classics. It’s also becoming a favourite with some of the best New World winemakers.

A bit of history

The origins of Syrah are still shrouded in mystery. Scientists in France and America have been examining its DNA, and have shown it to be a cross between a varietal from the Ardèche and another from Savoie. Legend has it that when knight Gaspard de Sterimberg returned home from the Albigensian Crusade, he withdrew from everyday life to live as a hermit and grow Syrah on the hillsides of Tain-l’Hermitage. 

Aromas

Syrah is the iconic grape variety of the northern Côtes du Rhône.

Syrah is the northern Côtes du Rhône’s dominant grape, growing in granite-rich soils to give aromas of spice, blackcurrants, blueberries, violets and blackberries. On ageing it acquires a classic touch of leather and animal pelts.  

In addition, it has a storage capacity that places it among the greatest French wines.

In Côtes du Rhône, Syrah is most commonly used in combination with Grenache and Mourvèdre.

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Main grape variety

Cope well with summer heat and drought, Grenache needs deep, limestone soils to really thrive. This grape variety account for most of the vineyard plantings in the southern part of the Côtes du Rhône.

A bit of history

Originally came from Spain, Grenache has been grown in France since the Middle Ages, possibly brought in by pilgrims returning from Santiago de Compostela.

Aromas

Grenache offers many taste assets to Côtes du Rhône wines.

On the palate, we find aromas of blackcurrant and blackberry. These complex, rich, fruity aromas in its youth, of great breadth in the mouth, become more spicy after aging.

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Main grape variety

As with Grenache, Mourvèdre shows an adaptation to the high temperatures of the southern half of the Rhone Valley. It is also sometimes preferred to Syrah by winemakers in the Mediterranean region, because it can ripen in excellent conditions during exceptionally hot summers. 

A bit of history

Mourvèdre, also of Spanish origin, appeared in the Côtes du Rhône from the Middle Ages. This grape variety comes from the Valencia region.

Aromas

Mourvèdre produces colorful, full-bodied and structured wines with a great capacity for aging.

We find aromas of pepper and black fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry) with vegetal touches of garrigue, laurel when the wines are young. And as they age, we find more complex aromas of truffle, undergrowth, leather, candied fruits, but also beautiful scents of game and spices.

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The others – known as complementary varietals – include Bourboulenc, Carignan, Cinsault, Muscardin, Terret Noir and Ugni Blanc, and are added to blends in much smaller quantities to give the desired effect. Some (Muscardin, Roussanne and Marsanne) are native to the Rhône Valley, others come from Spain (Carignan) or Italy (Ugni Blanc). 

They help to soften the main varietals, adding a tang of acidity here, brightening the flavour there…

Among these grape varieties, Carignan is a prime example. Carignan was probably originally from Spain, and has taken quite a while to acclimatise. We almost gave up on it a while ago, but thank goodness we didn’t. It gives mouthwatering flavours of raspberries, cherries and blackberries, with a comforting undertow of leather, violets and even garrigue herbs.

• Bourboulenc
• Carignan
• Ugni blanc
• Muscardin
• Terret noir
• Cinsault