Rhone Valley wine tours

Travelling across the Rhone Valley vineyards is a discovery of the Northern Europe and the Mediterranean world at the same time, through its history, its geographical position and its river. This vineyard is like the two sides of the European continent: the northern Rhone sub-region is characterised by a continental climate whereas the southern Rhone Valley has a Mediterranean climate with driest vineyards, producing powerful, spicy red wines made with Syrah and Grenache.
Go on a wine tasting weekend in the Rhone Valley is a subtle combination of wine and gastronomic tourism, between the gastronomical capital Lyon in Rhône-Alpes region, colorful dishes of Languedoc -Roussillon and the  Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Mediterranean food.

 

Wines from the Rhone Valley

The wines of this region are largely influenced by the Rhone river which traced the natural boundaries of the valley. From Vienne to Avignon, surrounded by the Alps and the Massif Central, and near the Mediterranean Sea at the south, the Rhone river Valley offers a mosaic of “terroirs” and grape varieties seducing wine lovers from all around the world.

The Rhone Valley vineyard figures

Surface area: over 71,000 hectares of vineyards.
Production: 2,8 millions hectolitres per year of which 80 % are red wine, 14% are rosé and 6% white.

Outstanding Appellations of the Rhone Valley:
- northern Rhone : Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Château-Grillet, Cornas, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Saint-Péray
- southern Rhone : Vinsobres, Rasteau, Gigondas, Beaumes-de-Venise, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Tavel, Lirac
- regional appellations: côtes-du-rhône régionaux and côtes-du-rhône-villages
- other appellations: Costières-de-Nîmes, Grignan-les-Adhémar, Lubéron, Ventoux, clairette de Bellegarde, Côtes-du-Vivarais