Côtes du Rhône appellation

The Côtes du Rhône is one of the oldest wine-growing regions in the world, since the medieval Popes grew grapes on the region's pebbly soils. Established in 1937, this appellation covers all wines made on the right and left banks of the Rhône, divided into southern and northern regions. Here's an overview of the classification of Côtes du Rhône wines, the terroir and the best producers

Classification and terroir of Côtes du Rhône appellation

The Côtes du Rhône appellation, which covers around 40,000 hectares, could rival Bordeaux as France's second largest wine-growing region. The appellation comprises 171 communes and over 5,000 producers, cooperatives and merchants. The wines are classified into 3 levels



Taste and price vary according to the classification. The appellation allows winemakers to choose from 21 grape varieties, the majority of which are red. Wines can be made into reds, rosés or whites. The colour of the wine must respect the number of grape varieties and their blend. The crus are planted in the best granite mountain terroirs in the north and the rocky valleys in the south. It should be noted that the word "cru" does not often appear on Rhône wine labels. The Côtes du Rhône Villages classification, on the other hand, represents vineyards with limited yields in accordance with the various specifications and a higher alcohol content. These are affordable wines designed for laying down. They go perfectly with dishes such as leg of lamb or fillet of duck.

Our selection of the best producers in the Côtes du Rhône appellation