Wine region · France

Rhône Valley wine

The Rhône Valley is the wine region of south-east France following the Rhône from Vienne to Avignon. It makes mostly red wine, from Syrah in the north and Grenache-based blends in the south, including Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Its AOC vineyards covered 64,467 hectares in 2023.

Country	France
Vineyard area	About 64,467 ha (2023)
Climate	Continental in the north, Mediterranean in the south, swept by the mistral
Main grapes	Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne, Clairette, Grenache Blanc
Key appellations	Côtes du Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Hermitage, Cornas, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Tavel
Wines on WineGuessr	14

History

Vines have been cultivated in the Rhône Valley since around 600 BC. The region gained prestige after Pope Clement V moved the papacy to Avignon in 1309; his successors, notably John XXII, promoted viticulture, and the local wine became known as the pope's wine, the origin of the name Châteauneuf-du-Pape. In 1737 Louis XV ordered that casks from the area be branded C.D.R. In 1923 Baron Pierre Le Roy of Château Fortia drew up production rules for Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the model for the French AOC system; the appellation itself was created in 1936.

Terroir and appellations

The region has two distinct halves. The Northern Rhône is a narrow strip of steep slopes with a continental climate, where eight crus line the river: Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Château-Grillet, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Cornas and Saint-Péray. It gives less than 5% of the region's wine. The Southern Rhône is broad and Mediterranean, swept by the mistral. Besides the large Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Rhône Villages appellations, it includes Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Lirac, the rosé appellation Tavel and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, known for its large rounded stones (galets roulés).

Grapes and wine styles

Red wine made up 74% of the 2023 harvest, rosé 14% and white 12%. Grenache is by far the most planted grape (35,671 ha in 2023), followed by Syrah (23,518 ha), then Carignan, Mourvèdre and Cinsault. In the north, red AOC wines are made from Syrah, although Côte-Rôtie may include up to 20% Viognier fermented together with the Syrah, and whites come from Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne. In the south, reds are blends led by Grenache. The region also makes a fortified sweet wine, Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise.

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14 wines from Rhône Valley on the map

Northern Rhône

Southern Rhône

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Rhône Valley wine: questions and answers

What grapes are in Châteauneuf-du-Pape?

Châteauneuf-du-Pape allows 18 grape varieties (counting colour variants separately since 2009). Red wines are usually led by Grenache, with Syrah and Mourvèdre.

What is the difference between Northern and Southern Rhône?

The Northern Rhône makes red wine from Syrah alone and whites from Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne on steep slopes. The Southern Rhône is larger, warmer and makes blends based on Grenache.

What grape is Côte-Rôtie made from?

Côte-Rôtie is made from Syrah, with up to 20% Viognier allowed; when used, the two grapes must be fermented together.

Why is it called Châteauneuf-du-Pape?

The name means the pope's new castle and recalls the papacy's stay in nearby Avignon from 1309, when the popes promoted local winemaking.

How big is the Rhône Valley wine region?

The Rhône Valley AOC vineyards covered 64,467 hectares in 2023, according to Inter Rhône.

Other wine regions of France

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Sources: vins-rhone.com, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org

Last reviewed October 2026.