Rhône

The Rhône Valley is a key wine-producing region in the southeast of France. It was created during the last ice age as the Rhône Glacier carved its way south through what is now France. It follows the north–south course of the Rhône river for almost 240km (150 miles) from Lyon to the Rhône Delta (the "Bouches-du-Rhône") on the Mediterranean coast. The vineyards are located on both sides of the river between Vienne and Avignon, just south of Lyon. The Northern and Southern Rhône are unique, each with vastly different geography, climate, soils and grape varieties, but share one thing in common – the Rhône River. This division is reflected not only in geography and preferred grape varieties, but also in the quality and quantity of wines produced. The smaller, more quality-driven northern section focuses almost entirely on Syrah for red wines and Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne for whites, while the larger and more prolific south employs a much longer list of varieties.