Translation missing: en.Southern Rhône: Southern Rhône

The Southern Rhône is home to what we know as the GSM blend - a red blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre (Mataro in Australia). This is a region steeped in history - the appellation Châteauneuf-du-Pape being the new home to the Pope and eventually the first AOC in France. The red wines can be big, dark-fruited, spicy and meaty and have tremendous aging potential and the whites tend to be stone-fruited, with notes of honey and flowers and often full-bodied. There can be lots of value found in the wines of Côtes du Rhône as well as other appellations that don’t receive the same attention as Châteauneuf-du-Pape such as Gigondas and Lirac.

LOCATION:
The Southern Rhône is located in the south of France and follows the north-south direction of the Rhône River for about 240km from Lyon to the Rhône Delta near the Mediterranean. 

TERROIR:
The Southern Rhône enjoys a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and warm, dry summers. The soils are predominantly gravel where the rocks play an important role in retaining and radiating heat onto the vine during the cooler nights. There can be drought risks, although the bigger issue facing growers are the strong winds from the Mistral that comes down from the north.

VARIETIES:
The most important grape variety by far is Grenache due to its ability to withstand drought conditions as well as the fact that it needs hot conditions to ripen successfully. Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault are the next most important varieties and most often blended with Grenache, although there are many other varieties too. The main white varieties of the region are Marsanne, Roussanne, Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Bourbelenc.

PRODUCERS:
Château de Beaucastel, Vieux Telegraphe, Mont-Redon, Domaine Les Pallieres, Clos Saint-Jean, Pigeade, Domaine de Marcoux, Domaine Charvin, Château Rayas