Southern Rhone
The Southern Rhône is blessed with mild winters and hot summers along with an array of diverse microclimates and terroirs. The red wines from the Southern Rhône marry approachability and complexity in Grenache and Syrah blends like Gigondas, Vacqueras and the famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The much-underrated whites are some of France's greatest in the form of rich and full-bodied old vine Marsanne and Roussanne blends.
Here, the climate is warmer and more Mediterranean, and the soils rockier and sandier, than in the Northern Rhone, distinguishing the southern half of this region from its northern neighbour. The Mistral, the region's cold and blustery wind, ushers in clear sunny skies and offers a mitigating effect on the otherwise hot climate, and the garrigue herb that grows widely throughout the region is often cited as a characteristic of Southern Rhone wines.
