One of our favourite wine regions in France is the Rhone Valley. The combination of stunning scenery, gastronomic food, full-flavoured, moreish wines, as well as almost endless potential for tourism, and its ancient and medieval history, makes it a must on any Francophile’s list. Plus, while it’s an excellent destination in its own right, it is also the gateway to the much visited Provence region, the French Riviera and the Mediterranean coastline. So, the weather is good too!
For wine, just picking up a bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and enjoying those generous, warming flavours, or sipping a peppery Syrah from Hermitage, is a good indicator of the quality of the Rhone valley. There are so many different styles of wine and price points to explore. It really is a boon to wine lovers…
Where is the Rhone Valley?
The Rhone Valley sits in the southern half of France, following the Rhone River as it flows from just south of Lyon down to Avignon (before the land opens out towards Provence and the Mediterranean coast). You may have passed the river while driving along the A7 (named the Autoroute du Soleil, or motorway of the sun, given it leads to the sunny south of France).
The Rhone Valley region stretches 150 miles from north to south and is split into two distinct halves: the Northern Rhone, a narrow river valley overlooked by very steep hillsides, to which vines barely seem to cling, and the Southern Rhone, a broader, flatter area of vineyards, scrubland (known as garrigue) and, on the southerly edges, the famous lavender fields. The climate, geology and grape varieties planted in the two parts are very different, so the wines taste different too, as we will see below.
History of the Rhone Valley
The Rhone is one of the oldest winemaking regions in France, first planted by the Greeks who established Massalia (now Marseilles) and then moved inland and up the Rhone river. But, as most of France, it was the Romans who expanded the vineyards, from the 1st Century BC onwards, including in Hermitage, one of the Northern Rhone’s most iconic sites. In the 14th century, when the Papacy relocated to Avignon, the Popes needed a decent local wine to quench their thirst, and so they built a summer residence and vineyard just north of the city. That spot is now called Chateauneuf-du-Pape, meaning ‘the Pope’s new castle’, and it remains one of the most recognisable wine names in the world today.
Size and scale of the Rhone Valley today
The Rhone is the second-largest AOC wine region in France, only dwarfed by Bordeaux (AOC regions being those with more defined appellations, as opposed to regions such as the Languedoc which have a greater amount of bulk wine). In 2025, the north and south parts of the Rhone amounted to 60,000 hectares of vines (compared to 90,000 hectares in Bordeaux), although in reality, around 90% of the Rhone Valley’s wines come from the larger, southern part.
Which grapes are planted in the Rhone Valley?
There are a total of 27 grape varieties which are grown in the region, although just a few are planted in the North compared to the panoply of grapes in the South.
In the Northern Rhone, Syrah is the only red grape allowed in the vineyard appellations of Cote Rotie, Crozes-Hermitage and others, so the wines are known as single varietal. Syrah is a noble grape which produces structured, peppery, often smoky red wines. Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne are also planted here offering perfumed, apricot-scented white wines from the villages of Condrieu (for Viognier), Hermitage Blanc, St Joseph and more.
By contrast, the Southern Rhone’s most planted grape is Grenache, and the wines are usually a blend of this as well as local grapes. You’ll find Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault (as well as lesser-known grapes such as Counoise and Carignan) are blended together. And Chateauneuf-du-Pape famously allows up to 13 different grape varieties (including a couple of white grapes), though most producers vinify a handful of favourite grapes, rather than using all of them.
What is the terroir like?
The Northern Rhone is rather steep, with vineyards clinging to granite and schist slopes at terrifying gradients! The climate here is more continental, with cold, wet winters and warm summers. It’s a little cooler than the southern part of the valley, which flattens out into wide plains and gentle hills, and has more of a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and plenty of sunshine.
The soils vary a lot, but the signature sight in the South are the galets roulés: large, smooth, rounded stones (deposited by the river thousands of years ago) that cover vineyards like Chateauneuf-du-Pape. They soak up heat during the day and release it slowly at night, helping grapes to ripen. There’s also the Mistral, a fierce, dry wind that howls down the valley. Locals will tell you it can drive you a little mad, but it also keeps vineyards free of disease and rot, which winemakers are grateful for!
Styles of wines found in the Rhone Valley
As you might expect, the styles from the northern and southern parts differ, sometimes widely. Single-varietal Syrah from the northern Rhone is often elegant and structured, with notes of black pepper, olive, violet and dark fruit, and meatier, smokier notes over time. These are usually serious, age-worthy wines with a healthy price tag, although Crozes-Hermitage and the vineyards outside the appellations (such as the catchily titled ‘Vins de Pays de Collines Rhodaniennes’) can offer good value. Guigal is the master of the northern Rhone, and their Cote Rotie is a stunning wine that shows the potential of this area.
Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Vacqueyras and other southern Rhone reds tend to be riper, more alcoholic, spicier blends, with a mix of black and red fruit (the predominant grape, Grenache, has distinctive cherry notes, without the tannic structure of Syrah). They are often full-bodied and said to offer notes of garrigue (a wild herb aroma said to be from the local scrubland). Cotes du Rhone and Cotes du Rhone-Villages offer slightly less body, structure and longevity, but at superb value. Try Perrin’s range of Rhone Valley wines for a good example of these.
For white wines, Condrieu and Hermitage Blanc are aromatic, textured, sometimes waxy or honeyed, and very high quality. From the South, white Cotes du Rhone (again a blend of grapes such as Grenache Blanc, Viognier and Clairette) are less intense, but still have some nice orchard and stone fruit, and good body. There’s also a lovely tradition of Rosé (the Tavel appellation is entirely dedicated to it, such as the excellent example by Chateau d’Aqueria) and even some sweet, fortified wines like Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise.
Visiting the Rhone Valley
Avignon is a stunning walled city with the Palais des Papes (the original Papal Palace) still standing. And the summer residence of Chateauneuf-du-Pape now constitutes a tiny, walkable village, dotted with tasting rooms as well as the old (new) Chateau.
In the north, Tain-l’Hermitage and the hill of Hermitage offer some of the most photogenic (and steep) vineyard views in France, with hiking trails right through the vines. The food is definitely a highlight to enjoy too, whether in Lyon city or on the outskirts. Try simple lyonnaise potatoes, Bresse chicken and some wonderful cheeses and desserts. Foodies will be spoilt for choice, and travel by road, rail or air (to Lyon, Grenoble or Nimes) is easy. Just watch out for the Mistral wind if you visit!