Rhone Valley

France’s Rhone Valley has two climates. The Northern Rhone’s steeper river-side slopes are up near cooler Burgundy. Here Syrah is the lone red and ripens slowly into supreme expressions in classics like Hermitage: intense but lighter-bodied, spicy and ethereal. Flowing south the landscape flattens out into the hot, rolling valley floor toward the Mediterranean. Down here Syrah gets richer but usually ends up playing a supporting role (with Mourvèdre et al) to the even more sun-loving grape, Grenache. The soft body of Grenache fills and sweetens most Southern Rhone blends, from basic Cotes du Rhone (mostly Southern) to village classics of the Grenache-led blend like Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and Rosés like Tavel. Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne remain at home in the North but can mix with grapes like Grenache Blanc and Clairette in the Southern Rhone's blanc wines.