Roaming through The Rhône

For those familiar with the French Autoroute A7, which leads to the South of France, as it runs like a major artery down the East of the country, there is a defining moment, as you crest the hill near the turn off to Valence. This, to me, has always represented the opening of the gateway to Provence and Southern France. There’s a change in the landscape, a perceptible change in the luminosity of the sky, and in the temperature. Spirits lift, shoulders relax, and the weight of daily life drifts away, as the holiday mood descends, and the warmth of the Mediterranean climate seeps into the skin.

This point of reference also pretty much marks the divide between the steep, narrow, imposing hills of the Northern Rhône, and the broader, flatter, olive-grove scattered, sprawling topography of the Southern Rhône.

The Rhône is a majestic and fascinating region, France’s second largest wine producing region, and one of the areas showing most growth and fascination in terms of wine sales. We love Rhône wines in the Uk, with almost 20% of all their wine  production exported here.  The region also happens to account for almost 60% of all French wine exported, proving its popularity all over the world.

It’s also one of the most diverse wine regions in terms of style, with a great contrast between the north and the southern sections, although the 2 areas are only separated by around 40km. The Northern region accounts for only 5% of the total production, but is the proud home of some of the most famous wine names in the world –  the names Hermitage, Côte Rôtie, Condrieu, and more, signal the pedigree.

The vast majority of the region’s wines is to be found in the lavender and wild-herb scented South, where the hazy sun warms the fields and the grapes, to help yield vast quantities of deliciously drinkable and seductive whites and reds.

The Northern Rhône begins just south of the bustling, noisy, cacophonous, but charismatic city of Lyon, a city of gastronomical, as well as historic, splendour, boasting a clutchful of Michelin-starred restaurants, as well as hoards of ‘bouchons lyonnais’, as  the local wine bars are known.

The heartbeat of the city is powered by two of France’s main rivers, the Saone and the Rhône. Follow the latter, and as you emerge from the long, overcrowded tunnel south , where traffic moves at a snail’s pace, you emerge into the glory and breathtaking grandeur of the vertiginous, imposing slopes of  the northern Rhône. Here the steep, craggy hills loom over the river, as it snakes its way southwards, and some of the most prized and revered vineyards in the world cling precariously to the granitic cliff-faces, as though stuck on with glue.

In this part of the region, Syrah is the undisputed king, and is in fact, the only red grape variety permitted for AOC wines. Planted here, since Roman times, on rocky terraces, the prized wines from this area have demanded blood, sweat and tears from the labourers who have had the arduous task of tending the gravity-defying vineyards.

But the results have been worth it; with quite remarkable and extraordinary character these reds have an intense, haughty, majestic splendor about them, yet tinged, with a wild, convention-flouting, rock star edge. These aren’t well behaved wines – they have uniqueness, they have a mesmerizing, seductive, irresistibility, with their dense colour, outrageously voluptuous perfume and nectar-like richness and depth – sip a glass and I defy anyone, not to be smitten by their smouldering and captivating powers.

The weather is more extreme than the balmy climate of the Southern Region – it’s hot in the Summer, but the winters can be cold and harsh, particularly higher on the rocky mountains of the Massif Central. The main cities are Vienne and Tournon, both of which are worth a visit, particularly the former, with its historic Roman building and artefacts.

Luxury, boutique hotels have been springing up, but some of the most charming places to stay, are the numerous, upmarket ‘Chambres d’Hotes’ (our equivalent of Bed and Breakfast, but somehow more welcoming) and ‘Gites’, where guests will really discover the vibe and the feel of the region. The local gastronomy is as rustic, rugged and characterful as the region itself – lots of meat, offal, sausages, rich stews, and a plethora of cheeses, as well as river fish.

The excitement starts in the Côte Rôtie area, where the slopes hit a vertigo-inducing angle of 60 degrees, and vineyards have been hewn into the rock face over years and years. The vines are protected from the Mistral winds, and their south-facing exposure gives them the best of the Southern sun and heat reflection from the river. The wines are rich, dark and brooding with a unique character – a bit like the vignerons who  must have passion and determination in barrel-loads to cope with the exigencies of growing vines in these precarious spots.

The king of the Rhône, is joined by his queen, the perfumed, voluptuous, beguiling Viognier white grape, which is responsible for the heady, scented, multi-layered and enchanting top whites from Condrieu and Château Grillet,  which lie just to the south,and is often used, in tiny proportions, to add a waft of fleshy, scent and freshness to the biggest of the red wines.  Chateau Grillet is one of France’s tiniest appellations, with under 10 acres of vines, whereas Condrieu, such as Condrieu Les Chaillets Vieilles Vignes 2013,  is more extensive, albeit still unique and premium, with its opulent, apricots and cream- stashed whites.

About 40km south, you’ll reach the vineyards of the increasingly popular Saint-Joseph ( Terre de Granit Saint Joseph 2012), still carved into precipitous rock on the narrow right bank, which looms over the river. The wines are rugged, dense and perfumed, with violet, white pepper and stewed blackberry richness. Hop over the river and you’ll hit Crozes-Hermitage, one of the areas that produce some of the most reliable, best value and earliest drinking Northern Rhone reds, just like the  Crozes Hermitage le Papillon 2013, Domaine Gilles Robin, with its spicy, peppery intensity and sweetness.

Just south of this, visitors will come across one of the most revered, and one of the oldest  wine spots in France and indeed the world, the magnificent Hermitage and Tain de l’Hermitage. Enjoying the best of the sun on their precarious terraces, and limited to a tiny production, the grapes produce storming, voluptuous, powerful reds, with wildness and exotic richness in spades, which captivate the senses, and can leave grown men weak at the knees at their sheer gloriousness.

The southernmost outposts of this northern part of the Rhone are St-Peray, which stands out from the norm, since it produces mainly sparkling wine from the Marsanne and Roussanne grape, and the bold, sinewy, brooding , violet-scented and captivating Cornas (Harmonie, Cornas, Domaine Guy Farge 2011). The name means ‘burnt earth’ and refers to the vineyards planted in the suntrap hills around the village. Many of these wines are world-class and frequently outshine other northern Rhone reds in international wine competitions.

Many words to describe just 5% of the region’s wines, but they deserve every accolade they receive… but now, time to focus on the wide, sprawling, scenic vistas and vineyards of the south.  From Valence onwards, visitors are on a headway towards the scintillating, glittering seas of the Côte d’Azur, but the beauty, and rich, intoxicating scents and attractions of the southern Rhone region beckon, and cause welcome diversions.

There is a fascinating contrast between the two sub-regions; the looming, granitic, narrow hills, in which the Rhône river nestles and meanders, give way to a huge, flat, fan-like area, as the sleepy villages and vineyards sprawl out, with gently undulating hills puncturing the landscape.  It’s a region of abundance, sunshine and warmth, with an surfeit of ripe, colourful produce, shady olive groves, and miles of purple-hued lavender fields. Go to the local markets, see the richness and kaleidoscope of colours at the vegetable and fruit stalls, smell the wild herbs and the wafts of lavender, and you’ll never want to leave.

This area is the workhorse of the region’s wines, with vineyards scattered both sides of the Rhone River , running from Montelimar , famous for its nougat, to the Papal city of Avignon, as it snakes on its journey southwards. The hot southern sun beats down on the dry, gravelly earth, which is typically covered by stones,  characterized by the large, pale smooth ‘galets’ stones of Chateauneuf du Pape, which can be hot as an oven to the touch. Vines are planted low to the ground, and are thus protected from the vicarious Mistral wind, which whistles across the land.

Côtes du Rhône is the generic name given to the millions of wine produced here,  with the familiar names of Coteaux du Tricastin, Côtes du Ventoux and Coteaux du Vivarais, representing wines from smaller areas within this. There are 18 individual villages, nestled among the dusty, sun-drenched countryside, which can call their wines by the higher appellation of Côtes du Rhône Villages, with their rich, spicy intensity.

Red wines dominate here, but there are also large quantities of increasingly good, citrussy, peach-scented whites, and juicy, red-berry streaked Rosés. The style of reds varies from soft and fruity, to more intense, pepper, herb and dark fruit-laden wines.  With the Grenache grape at the core of most of the blends, giving an intense fruitiness and fleshiness, the Syrah plays more of a supporting role here, alongside the fresh Cinsault, and the intense, brooding richness of Carignan and the wild perfume and darkness of Mourvedre. Simple, well-made, straightforward Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Rhône Villages should be soft, ripe, spicy, with an easy charm – perfect with platters of charcuterie, local cheeses and tiny, pink-fleshed, succulent cutlets of the sweetest of local lamb. There are 18 individual villages, within the area, which can put their name on the label alongside the words ‘Côtes du Rhône Villages’, such as the Domaines Brusset Côtes du Rhône, Cairanne, les Travers 2012.

Some of the most interesting wines are to be found on the eastern side, on slightly higher ground, in the foothills of some low, beautiful hills and  mountains. One such is the Mont Ventoux, which rears up amongst the stillness and gentle undulations of its surrounds. It is here that one of my favourite Rhone producers, Domaines Brusset makes one of the  very best value Rhone reds around, Côtes du Ventoux  les Boudalles 2014, a veritable treasure, oozing mid-weight, silky soft, super-ripe black cherry richness, with a typical twist of black pepper.

If you’ve ventured this far, opt for the ultimate indulgence and treat yourself to a night or two of luxury, at one of my top ten favourite boltholes in the world, which I discovered 15 years ago, and which has just gone on to greater and greater glory. Hostellerie de Crillon le Brave is a luxurious, boutique, and utterly charming hotel, which is the brainchild of 2 Canadian business men. Opulent, indulgent, yet retaining every centrimetre of authentic Rhone charm, the hotel is actually a cluster of individual, Medieval stone houses, linked by cobbled courtyards and winding, terracotta steps, all stylishly refurbished. The hotel has expanded and occupies a large chunk of the tiny hamlet of Crillon-le-Brave, on a hilltop close to Mont Ventoux. With its relaxed charm,  jewel-like swimming pool, and highly esteemed restaurant, it’s a magical spot to stop, and take in the calm, the stillness, and the beauty of the surrounds, whilst succumbing to some unashamed cosseting and relaxation.

Slightly north, but still on the eastern side, rise the picturesque peaks of the pretty mountain range, known as ‘Les Dentelles de Montmirail’, literally translated as ‘the lace of Montmirail’. Nestled below are the vineyards of Gigondas (Domaine Brusset Gigondas Tradition, le Grand Montmirail 2013) and Vacqueyras, which both produce rich, fleshy, herb and blackberry-scented reds of depth and complexity.

Finally, between the cities of Orange and Avignon, sits, the famous town of Châteauneuf du Pape, with its 3200 hectares of vines. The cobbled streets snake below the 14^th century Papal residency, home of the Catholic Church in Medieval times – the Papal keys are the familiar logo, embossed on the majority of bottles of its just as familiar wine.  This is where the Southern Rhone is at its opulent, voluptuous, sumptuous best, the very pinnacle of what this region is about. There are top notch white wines, produced from Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier, but it is the majesty of the reds, which take the breath away, with their heady, succulent depth, oozing sweet fruit, wild herbs, and a wild, intoxicating Southern opulence, produced from differing blends of up to 13 grape varieties. Domaine la Janasse make both reds and whites, which typify the area.

With alcohol levels frequently hitting 15%, these are definitely food wines. The cuisine of the area is some of the best, yet simplest in France, based on the glories of what the sun-baked fields produce. Lamb is the main meat here, often served griddled with wild herbs, garlic and the freshest of tomatoes, courgettes and peppers. In winter rich, lamb stews, studded with olives make a perfect foil to the rich wines. There’s game, there is a cornucopia of intensely-coloured vegetables, and a glut of heavily scented, richly fleshy peaches, apricots, nectarines and melons. With river fish from the Rhône, and daily catches from the nearby Mediterranean, it’s a foodie’s dream.

At the far south of the Rhône Valley, lie the regions of Tavel and Lirac, the former known for its robust, dry Roses, Thereafter, the olive groves and and fruit trees become ever-more abundant, the heady scent of the Mediterranean beckons, and the majestic Rhône Valley gives way to the golden glory and azure skies of Provence and its own charms.

By Angela Mount