The Rhône splits cleanly into two zones with different soils, climates and grapes. The Northern Rhône is cool and steep, with granite terraces suited to single-variety Syrah reds (Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage) and aromatic Viognier whites (Condrieu). The Southern Rhône is broader and hotter, covered in the famous galets roulés — large rounded stones that store heat overnight — and built around Grenache-led blends with Syrah and Mourvèdre, most famously in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. See our separate Northern Rhône and Southern Rhône pages for more detail on each.

Key grapes: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Viognier