| The Rhone Valley wine region of France looks | | | | being the preference of those who seek a |
| very much like a small Italy as it extends | | | | zesty wine and Cairanne's softer Domaine |
| approximately 200 kilometers from south of | | | | Catherine Le Goeuil being appreciated by |
| Lyon to just south of Avignon. In this part | | | | those people who are a little more easy |
| of the country the climate varies from the | | | | going. |
| Rhone's warm summers and cold winters to | | | | |
| classical Mediterranean weather where summers | | | | From the Côtes du Rhône villages stony |
| are hot and winters are mild. | | | | limestone and clay earth come the Syrah and |
| | | | Grenache grapes that are turned into |
| The relatively more constant sunshine | | | | approximately 19,000,000 bottles of medium |
| combines with granite soil of the north and | | | | body fruity red wines. |
| limestone of the south to produce Carignan, | | | | |
| Syrah and Grenache used in red wines and | | | | The history of the wine of Gigondas traces |
| Grenache Blanc, Ugni Blanc and Clairette used | | | | back to the Roman Empire and good advantage |
| to make white wines. | | | | is taken today of the Mediterranean weather |
| | | | and the red clay soil to produce an fragrant |
| The Grenache is the major grape grown with | | | | alternative to the costly Châteauneuf du |
| more than half of the total red wine grapes | | | | Pape. On nearly 3,000 acres vintners grow the |
| grown while the Clairette makes up 35 percent | | | | Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah grapes which |
| of white wine grapes grown. Overall | | | | go to make 5.5 million bottles of this |
| approximately 8-10 thousand winemakers | | | | excellent wine. |
| produce some 450 million bottles of wine on a | | | | |
| huge 170,000 acres of land of which | | | | For drinkers whose tongue needs a small shock |
| three-quarters is given over to the fruity | | | | of pleasure there is the Vignobles Darriaud's |
| reds of Châteauneuf du Pape in the south | | | | Grenache Syrah which is a full-bodied red |
| and the full-bodied Côte Rôtie in the | | | | wine with earthy and plumy aromas and with |
| north. | | | | chocolate tones which combine with a peppery |
| | | | finish once the wine has aged for some 3 or 4 |
| The village of Chartreuse de Valbonne enjoys | | | | years. |
| a quite different climate from that of the | | | | |
| surrounding Mediterranean. Guarded by forest | | | | To conclude, we must take a look at the |
| atop horseshoe-shaped hills there are | | | | slopes of Châteauneuf du Pape which lie |
| numerous terraces composed of a mix of stony | | | | between Avignon and Orange and which were |
| chalk and limestone. Some wine barrels of the | | | | once summer retreat of numerous Popes. The |
| area date clear back to the 13th century and | | | | wine is thick and richly colored by the |
| the village is home to plump Viognier, | | | | Grenache, Syrah, Clairette and some ten other |
| Grenache noir and spicy Syrah grapes with | | | | grape varieties. On in the region of 7,600 |
| aromas of acacia honey and violet. | | | | acres of quartz and sandy red clay soil grow |
| | | | the vines which produce 13 million bottles of |
| Considered among the best Côtes du | | | | wine which can age for up to 20 years with |
| Rhône villages are Cairanne and Rasteau | | | | aromas of red fruits, vanilla and cinnamon. |
| with Rasteau's tannic Domaine du Trapadis | | | | |