A wine producing region “par excellence”, the Rhône-Alpes boasts one of France’s best wine charts, comprising 36 “appellations d’origine contrôlée” and vintages, which guarantee its worldwide renown.

 12 Beaujolais Vintages

The Beaujolais “appellation” is divided into three families.

• Beaujolais: representing 50% of the total wine production which has more than doubled in the last 40 years. This very famous wine in fact became known by its “primeur nouveau”, which is known widely as Beaujolais Nouveau and is drunk worldwide on the 3rd Thursday of November. It is a fresh, fruity wine.

• Beaujolais Villages: representing 25% of the volume of wine production, which is spread over 39 villages, these wines are richer, with deeper notes than the Beaujolais.

• Vintages : a total of 10 vintages (Chiroubles, Brouilly, Saint Amour, Régnié, Moulin à Vent, Morgon, Juliénas, Fleurie, Côte de Brouilly, Chenas). More intense, these wines make up 25 % of the total harvest and are the very best of Beaujolais’ wine production. They tend to improve with age and are worth leaving 3-7 years in order to fully enjoy them.

8 Côtes du Rhône Vintages

A far cry from their old image which places them in the same category as the house wines served in cafés and bars, today’s Côtes du Rhône have improved beyond measure. The Côtes du Rhône production area, stretching the length of the Rhône valley as far as Avignon, boasts 10 prestigious vintages, including some of the oldest in France, which thrive in the sun: Côte-Rotie, Condrieu, Château Grillet, Crozes Hermitage, Hermitage, Cornas, Saint-Joseph, Saint-Peray and the whole gamut of Côtes du Rhône Village.

 
© RA Tourisme / A. Perier

Savoie Wines

Apremont, Abyme, Roussette, Bergeron, Aligoté, Malvoisie, Crépy, Gamay… the diverse characters of the different wines of Savoie are especially appealing. This diversity is partly explained by the geographic layout of the vineyards, all managed on a very human scale, as well as the range of 23 grape varieties. It is possible to explore the vineyards from Fréterives to La Cluse de Chambéry via an itinerary which also gives tourists the chance to meet with local winegrowers.

 Ardèche Wines: Elegance and Authenticity

Syrah, Cabernet-Sauvignon, and Merlot: These are all red wines with a southern tannin taste so characteristic of the “vins des pays” from the Ardèche hillsides. Their reputation precedes them, just as it does for the Chardonnay and Viognier wines – rounded, soft whites which are perfect to drink with fish and white meat. However one wine that really needs to be tasted is the Côtes du Vivarais, which became an AOC (Appellation d’origine contrôlée) 1999. It is a red wine, bursting with robust tannin flavour and the taste of black fruits and spices, which is pleasantly refreshing. Considered “vins de montagne”, it is both elegant and rugged at the same time. The area of the “appellation Côtes du Vivarais contrôlée” takes in 14 villages, 9 of which are in the Ardèche and which represent 80% of the total production.