The wines produced in the Rhone Valley Region are very high in alcohol because the sun beats down steadily on the vineyards and gives the grapes ample sugar that is later turned into alcohol.

Naturally, the Rhone valley has always been an important line of communication between Mediterranean Europe and Northern Europe. Hence wines have been produced for 2000 years here thanks to Mediterranean influences. This area is so marked by winegrowing that you will find there the Wine University. Located at the castle of Suze-la-Rousse, between Avignon and Valence, close to Seguret, one of the Most Beautiful Villages of France, you can attend to seminars about wines, and wine tasting sessions there.

The Rhone valley is easily divided into two areas: Northern and Southern Rhone. In the first one, the mainly used grape is Syrah; great red wines are produced such as Cotes Roties and Hermitage, which is believed to have been planted more than 2000 years ago. The Southern Rhone produces almost 90% of the total Rhone Valley's production. The dominant grape variety is Grenache.

There are 3 different qualities of wines: generic Cotes du Rhone, Cotes du Rhone-Villages and named-villages or Crus Wines. The most famous and tastiest wines, such as Vacqueyras, Gigondas and Chateauneuf-du-Pape, belong to the 2 last categories. Let's not forget the celebrated white sweet wines such as Beaumes-de-Venise, made from Muscat grape.

The winegrowing gives the area a peculiar charm thanks to the hills and mountains, which punctuate the sunny landscapes of the area. The region has one of the best gastronomy of France thanks to the diversity of soils, climates and traditions. There are cheeses, meats, mushrooms, fresh vegetables and delicious fruits. Let's quote, among many others, Picadon (goat cheese), truffle, olive, lamb, nougat, honey, peaches, etc. All these typical products heavenly blend with regional wines.

Let's discover the diversity of French vineyards: Champagne, Beaujolais Bourgogne, Alsace, Loire Valley, Rhone Valley, Provence, Bordeaux and Languedoc-Roussillon.