The Upper Rhone Valley

The Rhone river starts out in the alps bordering Switzerland, heads west into central France then changes its mind and turns south for the Mediteranean. We joined the river at the city of Lyons, on our drive south. The city looked like nothing on the outskirts, but that all changed in the central district on the banks of the Rhone, very much as Paris is beside the Seine. The comparison goes further as Lyons is another old city full of grand architecture, Even if it doesn't have the jewels of Paris. The Rhone runs down to the Mediteranean from here and the warmer climate influence is an obvious difference from Burgundy. The temperate forests have gone and vegetation is larger leaved and of a warmer climate. Trees we associate with the Mediteranean are appearing, the Olive and Italian Cyprus, but also conifers like the scots pine and Atlantic or maybe Lebanon(?) cedar. Buildings are different now, with terra cotta tiles, whitewashed walls and limestone block less evident. The Rhone is a large broad river even this far up. We stopped and lunched in the city centre in a series of old paneled ground floor rooms, with waistcoated waiters and the place dripping with artwork. The toilet area of passages, sitting rooms and toilets was so art filled we all trooped down to photograph it. We tracked thE river south of Lyons until the land became steeper and we were on the eastern edge of Masif Central, the uplifted granite highlands that are the reason for the rivers southward turn. Suddenly the river and the road were cramped by slopes on the right bank and the vineyards of Cote Rotie began. We had entered the northern Rhone wine region. Vines are not continuous across France as I expected, they are in definitive regions where they predominate, and then they are replaced elsewhere by pasture, crops, woOdlands and other land uses. But when it's grape county that's what you get. Cote Rotie, the 'roasted slope' is the most spectacular we have seen to date. The steep hillside is terraced with stone walls, and fingers of grapes exploit every ledge. The walls date from Roman times and Roman influences become ever more visible as we get further south and closer to the Italian border. We drove hard up against the footwall of the Cote ( slope), cranning our heads upwards to see the narrow terraces higher up. Soon we encountered the small town of Ampuis, tucked in a strip between river and hillside. Behind the village the terraced vineyards continued, then finished at the southern end with an appellation called Condrieu. We parked outside the locked, indifferent looking entrance of Guigal, a famed Rhone winemaker. We were then taken aback by the very plush reception area, with Roman artifacts such as sections of mosaic tiling on display, encrusted wine amphoras recovered from sunken vessels, an old stone roadway marker chiseled in Latin, and glass walls looking into lovely gardens. We enjoyed a tour of their fabulous facilities and cellars before settling into a tasting of many wines. A very short drive to the end of the town we reached our hotel under the slopes of Condrieu, being more of the terraced hillside. The hotel was right on the river bank so was a very enjoyable place to stay not to mention being able to turn your head and look up one of the very narrow streets, onto the hills behind. Barges and other sizeable craft were plying the river, as it provides access to the Mediteranean plus is a good way to move around the region and to sightsee. Next morning we were away for the town at the heart of the northern Rhone wine region - Tain. Here the river encounters the granite hill of Hermitage, and curves around it. The town, a very very old site, is on both sides of the river, exactly opposite the hill of Hermitage. The hill is covered in terraced vines, with the same single pole per vine trellising system. Being granite, the hill is quite reflective with its granite derived,siliceous soils. Atop the hill is the chapel, a tiny building that is a landmark in the area. The hill produces a unique, forceful wine with iron and soil flavours and a great capacity to age in the bottle. Around the hill are the related appellations of Croze Hermitage, St Joseph and Cornas, all which grow the Syrah grape and all on these granitic and related soils, producing superb distinctive wines. Apart from having an appellation however there is no classification system. So they are not easy to sort out from the quality and style perspective without some familiarity, and range from the very rustic to the fabulously polished. This contrasts with the Burgundy area just left where the combination of quality level terminology and detailed division into small subareas makes it much easier for the beginner to sort out. St Joseph in the Rhone, by contrast, is extremely diverse but all you have on the bottle is the makers name and vintage to guide you. We visited two significant growers and negotiants in the area both with extensive tastings and a great chance to delve into the regions wines. One day it might all change but for now the Rhone is mainly viewed as a good value for money workhorse but at the top end it's wines match anything. Generally our NZ team was less keen on them, not being used to the dry palates and presence of tannin. The highlight of the visit, apart from the sheer delight of the old town, was to be taken on a walk partway up the hill. The stone terracing and placement of vines anywhere it's not too steep is very picturesque. The vines and ground are hand tended and unirrigated, as are most if not all of the top wine locations in the country. The hill is full of colorful weeds like poppies, vipis bugloss, hypericum, Harefoot trefoil and many other weeds we recognize from central Otago. We felt so at home. The hill, as a shrine and also one of the most ancient wine locations dating from Roman grape growing also has a special atmosphere which we all commented on. Then to taste the magnificent wine the site produces was memorable. It had been a big day but not finished yet! We drove to Valence, checked in to our hotel and were back on the road again for a 30 min drive to a Michelin star restaurant, in a satellite town. We enjoyed an awesome dinner with (at last) snails, rabbit plus other local provincial fare. Losing count of how many times we get home very late and hardly able to keep the eyes open!