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EDITORIAL
PHILIPPE GAILLARD - EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
RHONE VALLEY
THE SOUTHERN GROWTHS DO NOT DISAPPOINT
Often overshadowed by the stars of the Northern
Rhone Valley, the region’s southern vineyards cover
an impressive 65,000 hectares out of a total 70,000 across
the valley. This equates to 93% of area under vine, producing
2.6 million hectolitres in 2020. We thought an area of
such magnitude deserved to be put in the limelight.
In the southern reaches of the river, the soils are predominantly
clay-limestone and very often strewn with their
hallmark pebbles carried down by the river and its tributaries
from the glaciers in the Alps over thousands of years.
The climate is typically Mediterranean and guarantees
exceptionally high sunshine, in excess of 2,700 hours a
year, moderated by the most famous wind in the South
of France – the Mistral. The northerly wind has a significant
influence on growing vines – it is cold and dry and
is particularly beneficial during damp spells which can be
very destructive when summers are very dry.
The range of vineyard sites also explains why such a broad
array of varietals is grown in comparison with the northern
Rhone Valley, which has more of a single varietal slant,
with Syrah for the reds and Viognier for Condrieu. For
the red varieties, Syrah is still widely grown in the South,
alongside Grenache noir, Mourvèdre and Cinsault. For the
whites, companions for Viognier include Grenache blanc,
Clairette, Marsanne and Roussanne.
This extensive collection of grape varieties combined with
unique local weather patterns paves the way for a varied
range of wines, even in neighbouring areas like Gigondas
and Vacqueyras. This, indeed, is where the magic of wine
lies – once it has passed through the ‘terroir’ filter, it has
the ability to deliver different sensations, virtually with
each step you take in the vineyard.
AUTUMN 2023 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
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