This article is one itinerary.
The wine region Rhône Valley, known above all for its powerful red wines, in fact consists of two parts with quite a few differences between them, both in terms of the character of the wines, the grapes and the climate.
Northern Rhône Valley is located between the cities Vienna and Valence. Here is the main town Tain l'Hermitage, located on the east side of the Rhône. The river is surrounded here by high, very steep mountains, where especially the mountain slopes offer optimal conditions for viticulture. But the steep locations also mean that the vineyard work in many places must be done by hand. However, there are also plantations on the plains closest to the Rhône, but the wines from there are not as good. The climate, which is characterized by severe winters and hot summers, sometimes with icy, northern mistral winds, also greatly affects wine production.
The wines from the northern Rhône Valley are mostly red. The only grape allowed in the red wines is syrah. It produces powerful, very dark wines, alcoholic and with aromas of dark berries, plums, smoked charcuterie, spiciness. The white wines may contain a few different varieties, for example viognier, roussanne and marsanne.
Southern Rhône Valley vineyards begin just south of Montélimar and goes almost all the way down to the Mediterranean. The main town here is Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
The most famous wine regions, besides Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage, is Côte Rôtie, Condrieu, Saint-Joseph and Cornas.
Northern Rhône Valley
A good starting point for a wine trip in the northern Rhône Valley is either Tournon, a cozy, medieval town, or Tain l´Hermitage. If you want to extend wine travel to the entire Rhône Valley, Valence or small towns in its vicinity are a suitable starting point.