In January 2023, the French Winophiles are revisiting an area that we’ve featured previously: France’s Rhône Valley. I’ve chosen to host this topic because I believe that this region is often misunderstood, or at least over-generalized, by many consumers. Most people instantly assume that all wines from the region are Côtes du Rhône, but only about half of the bottles produced here bear that label. The other roughly half is made up of crus and village wines, along with several other unique appellations.
I love to focus on the crus — ten in the south and eight in the north — because these are the spots with incredible soil diversity and, generally speaking, distinct marks of quality. These alone represent a vast range that could take a lifetime to study. Complicate that with the almost 40,000 hectares of vineyards that are labeled as Côtes du Rhône or Côtes du Rhône Villages, and one has a very interesting landscape to experiment with and find plenty of wine to enjoy.
This is where the Winophiles come in, taking a deeper look at the bottles, terroirs, trips, and food pairings that have helped them become more familiar with the second-largest growing appellation region in France. Here’s what they’ve got in store:
The French Winophiles January 2023 Table of Contents
Beurre Noisette Salmon Sprinkled with Belper Knolle + A Syrah from Crozes-Hermitage from Culinary Cam
Relaxing with a Cotes du Rhone and Rummikub from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Back to Cotes du Rhone for a French GSM blend from My Full Wine Glass
For Rhone Diversity Look Across the Street from Food Wine Click!
Tavel Rosé: Tasting and Food Pairings from Always Ravenous
Sipping the sweet side of the Rhône with a Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel from Crushed Grape Chronicles
A Range of Côtes du Rhône Wines Provide Delightful Diversity Paired with Citrus Salad and Cassoulet from Wine Predator Gwendolyn Alley
A Closer Look at Two Rhône Valley Crus: Crozes-Hermitage and Cairanne from Jill Barth
Join Us!
On Saturday, January 21st at 10am central time, the Winophiles will hold a chat on Twitter. Simply find us with the hashtag #Winophiles to participate. Look for the hashtag on all the socials to see more photos and shares.
L'OCCASION 