Over two thousand years ago
the Romans pushed North and discovered a land that was ideal for grapevines.
When you look closely at these rocky soils it seems improbable
that anything can grow here in abundance, even the hearty vine.
This great wine region has shot to prominence in recent decades and today has over 75 000 hectares
under vine. It stretches 180 kilometers along the river that shares its name,
depositing alluvial soils along its banks for millennia.
Syrah, Viognier, Grenache and many other varietals call this home.
Through the centuries wine has been the center of daily life and commerce. This is one of France's
oldest growing regions and a destination for great value red wines. This is the Rhône Valley.
This is the Rhône river. It stretches for 180 kilometers and from the end to Avignon,
it joins the Northern Rhône and Southern Rhône Valley. This region is a story in two parts,
linked by one great river. For centuries the Rhône river was an important inland trade route
that allowed wine merchants to ship their cargos to distant markets. But it's only been the last
few decades since the popularity of these wines exploded. These days grown grape varietals are
cultivated in vineyards all over the world and I think it's a testament to their popularity and
mass appeal. Syrah in Australia, Grenache and Mourvèdre in California and Viognier in South
Africa, all pay tribute to the long-standing winemaking traditions of this valley.
This region is all about diversity. Pick a wine style and you'll find it here.
From full bodied structured reds to lighter everyday drinking wines and there's great value
to be found. It's no wonder that wines from the Rhône are a favorite amongst wine enthusiasts.
At this vintage's event in Toronto the world's greatest wines are on display
and it's not surprising that the wrong labels are in demand. This region's influence is undeniable
and wine riders and the enthusiasts who follow them are taking notice. “Well I think that the
Rhône is probably one of the best values that you can get in the fine wine regions
of France. First of all it really hasn't been discovered and these are great food wines too.”
“You've got this big swath of land that is really getting a lot of that Mediterranean heat
and that Grenache really develops that incredibly fruity almost
really kind of chewy character it just bursts forth. I like the excitement of those wines.”
The wines of the Côtes-du-Rhône are made in a range of styles. They're food friendly,
they offer great value but more than anything else they really express a sense of place.
And this place is spectacular. If you want to get to know these wines it's best to start in
the vineyard. The wine growers of the Rhône remain true to traditional approaches and styles,
while embracing new winemaking technologies. They set themselves apart from other growing
regions with wines that express terroir, the many factors that influence the grapes character.
While winemaking is important, the purists insist that wine is made in the vineyard.
“The people that want to respect the flavors of terroir, argue that really you should have
the courage to do nothing in the wine making process and that's very much what goes on here,
they see themselves as guardians of the terroir rather than winemakers”.
The Rhône Valley is red wine country. It's over 90%
of what they produce, along with some whites, rosé, fortified and even sparkling wines.
Located in Southeastern France, it's very close to the Mediterranean sea. The growing regions
stretch from Lyon in the North to Avignon the South, through two distinct climatic zones. The
sub-soils are incredibly varied with five major soil types. The Southern Rhône is broad with a
warm Mediterranean climate, sun-drenched. It's famous for round full-bodied easy drinking wines.
We're starting our journey in the Northern Rhône, it's much smaller than the South with a slightly
cooler semi-continental climate. The wines here are famous for their elegance and finesse.
The vineyards of the Northern Rhône cling to steep landscapes made of granite and quartz.
That's one of the reasons that Syrah does so well in these vineyards.
This is the land where Syrah was born and home to appellations like Hermitage.
Crozes-Hermitage, Cornas
and Saint Joseph. The granite soils here produce tannic wines with structure that develop in
complexity and finesse as they age. The only red grape permitted here is Syrah, which is sometimes
blended with whites like Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne. These long ripening varietals
soak up the abundant sunshine, developing slowly in the cooler climate of the North.
Producing wines from these slopes is expensive back-breaking work but vignerons here carry on
as they have for centuries, growing distinctive fruit with spicy deep roasted character.
“The ancients were as smart as we are and they already understood and noticed that there were
great terroir and that the wines produced on the hill were much more better than coming from
everywhere else around. You imagine that in hermitage like that to make a wine,
you need at least six to seven hundred hours per hectare of work.” “Well, I certainly
understand why the wines from this area are so expensive.” “You bet! Everything isn't made, you
can use any matching here. So every year making hermitage on this yield is kind of a challenge.
When we produce 10 to 15 nectar liters per hectare it's already a good harvest.”
And harvest time here is not for the faint of heart.
The Rhône Valley has some of the lowest yields in all of France.
Winemakers know lower yields mean more concentration of flavors and higher quality wine.
Poor soils, a Southern exposure, steep slopes for good irrigation and cool winds that whip
through the valley are all essential ingredients to grow excellent Syrah.