Between Vienne and Valence
White and red wines from the Northern Rhône
12 October 2013
Werner Elflein
Photo: PixabayGeologically and climatically, the northern part of the Côtes du Rhône differs significantly from the southern. Between Vienne in the north and Valence in the south, the river flows through a valley bordered by the foothills of the Massif Central in the west and the Alps in the east.
On the sometimes very steep, often terraced slopes, Syrah is mainly grown as the only red wine variety permitted in the various appellations. The share of white wines has increased in recent years and is now almost 20 percent. The main grape variety here is Viognier. However, Marsanne Blanche and Roussanne are also gaining some importance.
Photo: PixabayThe soils of the northern Rhône are characterised by volcanic granite rock from the Massif Central, partly covered by slate, gneiss, limestone, loess or various sediments.
The Syrahs of the individual appellations are difficult to compare with each other. The interplay of different soils and microclimates is too complex to be able to speak of a uniform style of wine. However, the high-quality red wines of the region have one thing in common: they need at least a few years to mature, sometimes considerably more than a decade.
The white wines, on the other hand, are said to have a limited ageing potential of no more than five years.
We took a look around the northern Rhône and tasted four white wines, including two Viogniers, in addition to a broader selection of Syrahs.
In the following overview, we present the eight appellations of the growing region in a little more detail.
The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitively settled — but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk.
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I must not only punish but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong. It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.
The wines at a glance
Symbols
| ⧛ | The rating of the wine reflects the mean value from a tasting by our jury. |
| ⚖ | The wine was evaluated in a blind tasting. |
| ⛬ | The wine was tasted as a barrel sample or before an official test number (Amtliche Prüfungsnummer or Staatliche Prüfnummer) was issued. |
| ▲ | The wine exhibited a sensory abnormality during our tasting. This does not necessarily have to be a qualitative defect or a wine fault. In the case of a qualitative impairment, a devaluation or rejection was made depending on the type and severity of the defect or wine fault. |
White Wines
Guy Farge
18, Chemin de la roue
7300 Saint-Jean-de-Muzols
France
Phone: +33 4 75065849
Internet: www.vigneron-guy-farge-rhone.com
E‑mail: guyfarge@orange.fr
WinewhitedryMarsanne BlancheRoussanne
2008 “Vania” Saint-Joseph
France
Rhône ↳ Saint-Joseph • Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC)
13 % alcohol
Paul Jaboulet Aîné
Route Nationale 7, Les Jalets
26600 Tain l'Hermitage
France
Phone: +33 4 75846893
Fax: +33 4 74845614
Internet: www.jaboulet.com
E‑mail: contact@jaboulet.com
WinewhitedryViognier
2010 Crozes-Hermitage “Les Jalets”
France
Rhône ↳ Crozes-Hermitage • Appellation d'origine protegée (AOP)
13 % alcohol
Domaine du Tunnel – Stéphane Robert
20, Rue de la République
7130 Saint-Péray
France
Phone: +33 4 75800466
Fax: +33 4 75800650
E‑mail: domaine-du-tunnel@wanadoo.fr
WinewhitedryRoussanne
2011 Saint-Péray Roussanne
France
Rhône ↳ Saint-Péray • Appellation d'origine protegée (AOP)
13.5 % alcohol
Le Vins de Vienne
1, Zone d'Activité de Jassoux
42410 Chavanay
France
Phone: +33 4 74850452
Fax: +33 4 74319755
Internet: www.vinsdevienne.com
E‑mail: contact@vinsdevienne.com
WinewhitedryViognier
2010 “La Chambée” Condrieu
France
Rhône ↳ Condrieu • Appellation d'origine protegée (AOP)
14 % alcohol
Red Wines
Domaine Les Bruyères
12, Chemin du stade
26600 Beaumont-Monteux
France
Phone: +33 4 75847414
Fax: +33 4 75841406
Internet: www.domainelesbruyeres.fr
E‑mail: domainelesbruyeres@orange.fr
WinereddrySyrah
2011 Crozes-Hermitage “George Reynaud”
France
Rhône ↳ Crozes-Hermitage • Appellation d'origine protegée (AOP)
13 % alcohol
Jean-Louis Chave
37, Avenue de Saint-Joseph le Village
7300 Mauves
France
Phone: +33 4 75082463
WinereddrySyrah
2004 Hermitage
France
Rhône ↳ Hermitage • Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC)
14 % alcohol
Yann Chave
1170, Chemin de la Burge
26600 Mercurol
France
Phone: +33 4 75074211
Fax: +33 4 75074734
Internet: www.yannchave.com
E‑mail: chaveyann@yahoo.fr
WinereddrySyrah
2005 Hermitage
France
Rhône ↳ Hermitage • Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC)
13.5 % alcohol
Cave des Clairmonts
755, Route des Vignes
26600 Beaumont-Monteux
France
Phone: +33 4 75846191
Fax: +33 4 75845698
Internet: www.cavedesclairmonts.com
E‑mail: contact@cavedesclairmonts.com
WinereddrySyrah
2007 Crozes-Hermitage “Pionniers”
France
Rhône ↳ Crozes-Hermitage • Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC)
13 % alcohol
Cellier des Dauphins
Route de Nyons
26790 Tulette
France
Phone: +33 4 75962000
Fax: +33 4 75973342
Internet: www.cellier-des-dauphins.com
WinereddrySyrah
2011 “Les Dauphins” Réserve
France
Côtes du Rhône • Appellation d'origine protegée (AOP)
13.5 % alcohol
Dauvergne & Ranvier
Château Saint Maurice
30290 Laudun
France
Phone: +33 4 66829657
Fax: +33 4 66829658
Internet: www.dauvergne-ranvier.com
E‑mail: contact@dauvergne-ranvier.com
WinereddrySyrah
2010 Crozes-Hermitage Grand Vin
France
Rhône ↳ Crozes-Hermitage • Appellation d'origine protegée (AOP)
13 % alcohol
Domaine Durand – Eric & Joël Durand
Impasse de la Fontaine
7130 Châteaubourg
France
Phone: +33 4 75404678
Fax: +33 4 75402977
E‑mail: ej.durand@wanadoo.fr
WinereddrySyrah
2010 “Prémices” Cornas
France
Rhône ↳ Cornas • Appellation d'origine protegée (AOP)
14 % alcohol
Étienne Guigal
Château d'Ampuis
69420 Ampuis
France
Phone: +33 4 74561022
Fax: +33 4 74561876
Internet: www.guigal.com
E‑mail: admin@guigal.com
WinereddrySyrah
2009 Côte-Rôtie “Château d'Ampuis”
France
Rhône ↳ Côte Rôtie • Appellation d'origine protegée (AOP)
13.5 % alcohol
Domaine des Hauts Châssis
995, Chemin des Hauts-Châssis
26600 La Roche-de-Glun
France
Phone: +33 4 75845026
E‑mail: domaine.des.hauts.chassis@wanadoo.fr
WinereddrySyrah
2010 Crozes-Hermitage “Les Châssis”
France
Rhône ↳ Crozes-Hermitage • Appellation d'origine protegée (AOP)
13 % alcohol
Paul Jaboulet Aîné
Route Nationale 7, Les Jalets
26600 Tain l'Hermitage
France
Phone: +33 4 75846893
Fax: +33 4 74845614
Internet: www.jaboulet.com
E‑mail: contact@jaboulet.com
WinereddrySyrah
2010 Crozes-Hermitage “Domaine de Thalabert”
France
Rhône ↳ Crozes-Hermitage • Appellation d'origine protegée (AOP)
13.5 % alcohol
WinereddrySyrah
2010 Crozes-Hermitage “Les Jalets”
France
Rhône ↳ Crozes-Hermitage • Appellation d'origine protegée (AOP)
13 % alcohol
Gabriel Meffre
Domaine de Longue Toque
84190 Gigondas
France
Phone: +33 4 90123021
Fax: +33 4 90123028
Internet: www.gabriel-meffre.fr
E‑mail: caveaugabrielmeffre@meffre.com
WinereddrySyrah
2010 Crozes-Hermitage “Laurus”
France
Rhône ↳ Crozes-Hermitage • Appellation d'origine protegée (AOP)
12.5 % alcohol
Stéphane Ogier
3, Chemin du Bac
69420 Ampuis
France
Phone: +33 4 74561075
Fax: +33 4 74560175
Internet: www.stephaneogier.fr
E‑mail: contact@domaine-ogier.fr
WinereddrySyrah
2007 Côte-Rôtie “La Belle Hélène”
France
Rhône ↳ Côte Rôtie • Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC)
13 % alcohol • bottled under the former name Michel & Stéphane Ogier
Christophe Pichon
36, Le Grand Val
42410 Chavanay
France
Phone: +33 4 74870678
Fax: +33 4 74870727
Internet: www.domaine-pichon.fr
E‑mail: chrpichon@wanadoo.fr
WinereddrySyrah
2010 Côte-Rôtie Rozier
France
Rhône ↳ Côte Rôtie • Appellation d'origine protegée (AOP)
13 % alcohol
Domaine du Tunnel – Stéphane Robert
20, Rue de la République
7130 Saint-Péray
France
Phone: +33 4 75800466
Fax: +33 4 75800650
E‑mail: domaine-du-tunnel@wanadoo.fr
WinereddrySyrah
2009 Cornas
France
Rhône ↳ Cornas • Appellation d'origine protegée (AOP)
13.5 % alcohol
Vidal-Fleury
48, Route de Lyon
69420 Tupin et Semons
France
Phone: +33 4 74561018
Fax: +33 4 74561919
Internet: www.vidal-fleury.com
WinereddrySyrah
2009 Crozes-Hermitage
France
Rhône ↳ Crozes-Hermitage • Appellation d'origine protegée (AOP)
13 % alcohol
WinereddrySyrah
2007 Saint-Joseph
France
Rhône ↳ Saint-Joseph • Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC)
13 % alcohol
François Villard
330, Route du Réseau Ange
42410 Saint-Michel-sur-Rhône
France
Phone: +33 4 74568360
Internet: www.domainevillard.com
WinereddrySyrah
2010 “Mairlant” Saint-Joseph
France
Rhône ↳ Saint-Joseph • Appellation d'origine protegée (AOP)
13 % alcohol
Le Vins de Vienne
1, Zone d'Activité de Jassoux
42410 Chavanay
France
Phone: +33 4 74850452
Fax: +33 4 74319755
Internet: www.vinsdevienne.com
E‑mail: contact@vinsdevienne.com
WinereddrySyrah
2011 Saint-Joseph
France
Rhône ↳ Saint-Joseph • Appellation d'origine protegée (AOP)
13 % alcohol