The Wines of the Cotes du Rhone AOC

Cotes du Rhone AOC

The Cotes du Rhone AOC is not only the largest Appellation within the Rhone Valley but its production makes it one of the largest wine-growing regions in the world. Producing some 400 million bottle’s from it’s 200,000 acres are spread across 171 villages in 6 Departments(States).(Ardèche, Bouches du Rhône, Drôme, Gard, Loire, and Vaucluse)
Three wines are produced in the Cotes du Rhone AOC: Red, White and Rose  and  each must reach a minimum of 11% Alcohol by Volume. The average yield from the vineyards is 52 HL(Hectolitres per hectare),  which translates to 230 cases per acre.
The Red wines of the Cotes du Rhone AOC are made from a blend of  Grenache Noir, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignane, Counoise and Mourvèdre grapes.
The Rosé wines of the Cotes du Rhone AOC are also made from Grenache Noir, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignane, Counoise and Mourvèdre grapes.
The White wines of the Cotes du Rhone AOC  is a blend of at least 80% Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Bourboulenc, and Viognier. Two other grape varieties are permitted Ugni Blanc and Picpoul Blanc.

Within the Cotes du Rhone AOC  the are two sub-regions.

Côtes du Rhône “septentrional” which is the northern part of the region.  The vines grow on very steep slopes, making the harvest very difficult since they are hand harvested.  Syrah is the main grape in this area.

Côtes du Rhône “méridional” which is the southern part of the region. The vines grow on the eastern side of the Rhone River. While the dominant grape is Grenache,   Syrah and Mourvedre are also grown there.

Côtes du Rhône-Villages AOC

On the quality ladder Côtes du Rhône-Villages AOC is the next step up above Côtes du Rhône AOC.  This designation can only be used by 95 vilages in the Departments(State) of  Ardèche, Drôme, Gard and Vaucluse,  with approximately 25,00 acres under cultivation.

Three wines are produced in the Cotes du Rhone Villages AOC: Red, White and Rose  and  each must reach a minimum of 12% Alcohol by Volume. The average yield from the vinyards is 38 HL(Hectolitres per hectare) , which translates to 170 cases per acre.

 

Côtes du Rhône Villages (named village)

Within the Cotes du Rhone wines this designation is reserved for 18 villages with approxiametly (13,750) acres of vineyards under cultivation.

Three wines are produced in the Cotes du Rhone Villages (named village)AOC:  The Red wines must have a minimum of 12.5 % Alcohol by Volume. The Rosé and White wines must have a minimum of 12 % Alcohol by Volume. The average yield from the vinyards is 37 HL (Hectolitres per hectare) which translates to 165 cases per acre.
The named villages are as listed:  Cairanne, Chusclan (red and rosé only), Gadagne, Laudun, Massif d’Uchaux (red only), Plan de Dieu (red only), Puyméras (red only), Roaix, Rochegude, Rousset-les-Vignes, Sablet, Saint Gervais, Saint Maurice, Saint-Pantaléon-les-Vignes, Séguret, Signargues (red only), Valréas, Visan.