Bernard Schurr

About Rhone wines & Rhone style blends

The Rhone Valley is one of France's most spectacular wine regions. Set on the banks of the River Rhone, this incredible wine region features The Northern Rhone and The Southern Rhone. In the The Northern Rhone, the only permitted red wine grape is Syrah (Shiraz),  whereas The Southern Rhone is mostly known for producing Grenache, with Shiraz and Mourvedre playing a supporting role. Syrah from the Northern Rhone is deeply coloured with high levels of tannin and ripe aromas and flavours of blackberry, blackcurrant and black pepper.  Grenache from the Southern Rhone can be full-bodied, quite ripe and show spiced red fruit flavours such as cranberry and red plum. It also blends beautifully with Syrah and Mourvedre. Both regions also make beautiful white wines such as Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne, as well as dry Rosé. However, the red wines from the Rhone Valley are distinctively powerful and they underpin the reputation of the Rhone Valley, around the world. So too, are the Rhone style red wines that produced in Australia, in regions such as The Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. The Rhone Valley has been a significant source of inspiration to Australian winemakers, who are also known around the world for making powerful Shiraz, Grenache or Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre (GSM) blends.

About Southern Rhone

The Southern Rhone is a very significant wine region in France,  second only to Bordeaux, in terms of the quality and the volume of the wine it produces. Most of the Southern Rhone wines are complex blends that involve Grenache whereas the Northern Rhone wines feature Shiraz blends more predominantly. The Cotes du Rhone is a large wine growing appellation that sits within the Southern Rhone wine region. This is where the 'entry level' AOC wines (Appellation d'Origine Controlee), of the region are made, providing delightful and approachable red wines that are sold around the world. The climate in the Southern Rhone is classified as moderate to warm 'Mediterranean' due to the warmer winters and long, dry Summers. Grenache is the main red grape variety, comprising 2/3 of production in the Southern Rhone mostly because it is so hardy and it can withstand the drier conditions. In general,  Grenache displays spiced red fruit such as raspberry, cherry, clove, white pepper and cardamom. The more sophisticated wines, from Chateauneuf du Pape, show aromas and flavours of licorice, leather, earth and garrigue. Historically, the region was also known for the number of Popes who were 'seated' in the region, hence the term 'Pape' in Chateauneuf du Pape.

About Rhone Valley

The Rhone Valley is an Appellation d'origine controlee (AOC, or controlled designation of origin) wine region running roughly 200 km south of Lyon, in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes administrative region in the central-southeast of France. Although strictly one region, the Rhone realistically can be split neatly into two the north and south. In Northern Rhone, Syrah is king, with famous appellations such as Cote Rotie, Hermitage, St-Joseph, Cornas and Crozes-Hermitage producing stunning wines along with lighter tones from the whites based around Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne from Condrieu, Chateau Grillet, St-Joseph, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage and St-Peray. In Southern Rhone, Syrah combines with Grenache and Mourvedre in the enchanting wines of Chateauneuf du Pape, Gigondas, Vacqueyras, and the eminently drinkable wines of Cotes du Rhone. With its diversity of terroir and famous appellations, the Rhone Valley gives the wine-lover a great range of wine styles from some of the world's most famous sub regions.

Closure: Screw Cap

Country: France

Wine Body: Medium Bodied

Wine Sweetness: Dry

Size: 750mL

Organic / Vegan: Organic, Vegan

Non Alcoholic: No

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