What is rhone style wine

We asked our Sommelier, Manuel Cabello, to explain. The north of the river is cool, discreet and noble and expressed different shades of one red grape; the south is warm, exuberant, earthy and hosts a myriad of grape variety. The most popular red wine in this region is Chateauneuf-du-Pape, a blend consisting of up to 19 varieties of grapes, 10 red and 9 white. The South hosts more varieties of the red grape and includes Grenache, the most popular, and varieties such as Marsanne and Roussane.

Error: Access Token is not valid or has expired. Feed will not update. This error message is only visible to WordPress admins There's an issue with the Instagram Access Token that you are using. What is a blend-loving or tradition-loving winemaker to do? You can make up your own word. They sponsored an international competition and picked a name out of more than 6, entries. The winning name: meritage.

And Bordeaux is far from the only Old World winemaking region where blends are prevalent. Some of these are fairly well known, like Syrah, or Grenache, or Viognier. They blend. And so too do many California producers who follow the Rhone traditions. Knowing these, as well as the blend the winemaker has chosen, will give you a good chance of predicting the main flavors in the wine.

But for a winemaker, the ability to deploy different flavors that complement and contrast with one another is exhilarating. Think of cooking. How often do you make something out of just one ingredient?

Being able to put grapes together that are fruitier or earthier, higher or lower in acid, smoother or more tannic gives winemakers remarkable flexibility to craft the wines they want to make. And here in Paso Robles, in our sunny California climate so much like that of the Mediterranean, the opportunity to use these grapes that thrive in the south of France is indispensable. There is also practicality. Different grape varieties bud and mature in different calendar periods.

When aged in oak, they can be supremely creamy. Whites based on Marsanne and Roussanne, either alone or blended, are underrated. They create fascinating table wines due to their herbal aromas, full body and wonderful texture.

They tend to have elevated alcohol levels and beautiful ripe fruit. The best reds have the earthy-herbal scent of garrigue , local scrub comprised of bay, lavender, rosemary and juniper.

Some of these wines are rustic and inky, while others are lyrical and light. Today, the association is active with chapters in California, Michigan, Virginia and Arizona. Home Wine Basics Getty. Value Wines of Southwest France. Subscribe to Wine Enthusiast Newsletters Get the latest news, reviews, recipes and gear sent to your inbox.