Matt's There's No Place like the Northern Rhône

Nestled in the picturesque landscape of southeastern France, the Rhône Valley is a revered wine region renowned for its diversity of climate and soils and resulting complexity in the wines. From the rugged granite-dominant terrains of Côte-Rôtie in the Northern Rhône to the sun-drenched stony vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Southern, each sip tells a story of centuries-old winemaking tradition and terroir-driven craftsmanship.

For our second session, we focus on the Northern Rhône - a predominantly narrow strip of vineyards clinging to the steep granite banks of the river, from just south of Lyon at Vienne to La Drôme, a tributary of the Rhône south of Valence. We will explore its signature grape varieties (Syrah only for reds and Viognier, Marsanne, Rousanne and Clairette for whites and the unique sparkling wines of the Die), its plethora of appellations (dominated by Syrah red wines such as Hermitage plus the fine whites from Viognier at Condrieu) and the power and charm to be found in a region that values mostly single varietal wines. Matt will also talk about the rich history and cultural development of the region.

Wines on tasting (so far) 8 in total:

Domaine François Villard Saint Péray Version 2017 - Magnum
Domaine Etienne Pochon Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 2023
Domaine du Colombier Crozes-Hermitage 2019
Julien Cécillon St Joseph 'Babylone' 2019
Domaine Garon Seyssuel Jardin de Rome 2019
Domaine Rostaing Côte Rôtie Ampodium 2019

Final wines TBC