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Appellations
The Côtes du Rhône appellation (AOC) is constructed around a four-level hierarchy of quality reflecting the fact that certain sub-regions within the Rhône produce better quality grapes, and thus wine.
First level / generic wines are labelled AOC Côtes du Rhône and all the grapes must be grown in the area shaded in light grey on the map (click here). Whilst diverse in flavour, Côtes du Rhônes are typically fruity and easy drinking and generally best appreciated within two to four years of their vintage date.
As you climb the AOC levels, the wines become more concentrated, complex and age-worthy.
Second level wines are labelled AOC Côtes du Rhône Villages and must be grown in any of 74 communes (not marked on the map) within the Côtes du Rhône area.
Third level wines are labelled AOC Côtes du Rhône Villages with the area name and must be grown in one of the 21 communes marked with a red circle on the map (click here). For example, AOC Côtes du Rhône Villages Sablet, AOC Côtes du Rhône Villages Séguret, etc.
Top level wines are referred to as the “Crus” and are labelled AOC + area name and must be grown in one of the 17 communes marked in bold on the map (click here). For example, AOC Gigondas, AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape, AOC Condrieu, etc.
Note: The word “cru” is not normally mentioned on Rhône wine labels.
Cru Châteauneuf-du-Pape
A document dating from 1094 testifies to the history of the village under the name of “Castro novo”, which means the “new fortified village”…
Cru Gigondas
The commune of Gigondas “Les Dentelles de Montmirail”, located in Provence, stretches 8 km from North to South, from Romane to…
Cru Vacqueyras
The vineyard of Vacqueyras is located on the southern border the cru of Gigondas and covers 1390 hectares of land which extends over the communes of Vacqueyras and…
Cru Rasteau
Rasteau is a classic Provencal village perched 200 meters on a hill between plains and forests. Its houses are spread out at the foot…
Cru Cairanne
Cairanne is located on a small hill in the Haut-Vaucluse, between Orange, Bollène and Vaison la Romaine. In turn, property of the Order of…
Cru Lirac
Lirac is the southernmost cru in the Rhône Valley and probably the least well-known. It grows in tranquil isolation…
Cru Tavel
Tavel wines are only available in rosé. The AOC is therefore the only appellation in the Rhône valley to produce nothing but rosé wine…
Cru Beaumes de Venise
The vineyards are located on the east and south-east slopes at the foot of the rocky Dentelles de Montmirail. While the name “de Venise”…
Cru Vinsobres
“Vinsobres or sober wine, drink it soberly”: this was the motto of Monseigneur de Suarès (bishop of Vaison and a staunch fan of these wines) in…
Crus Northern Rhône
No gentle slopes here: on the right-bank of the Rhône, Côte-Rôtie wines draw their character from the extremely steep hillsides that sometimes…
Côtes du Rhône Villages (Named)
Côtes du Rhône Villages Sablet is a relatively small appellation (345 hectares) surrounding the medieval village which is built on a sandy mound…