REDS OF THE NORTHERN RHÔNE

Haunting, seductive and exceptionally ageworthy, Northern Rhône reds are among the world’s most sought-after wines.

Primarily expressions of a single grape, Syrah, the Northern Rhône contributes just 5% of red wine produced in the entire Rhône Valley. While spectacular red wines are found throughout the region, Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie and Cornas are considered the rarest and most venerated benchmarks.

The Northern Rhône extends along the Rhône River, south of Lyon from Vienne to Valence. Situated at the cool-climate extremes for Syrah, its best vineyards maximize sun exposure along precipitous inclines rarely hospitable to machines. Wine here is a product of backbreaking labor and unwavering grit.

Despite contemporary renown, winemaking in the Northern Rhône teetered on the brink of extinction until the 1970s. As in most of Europe, vineyards were blighted by the phylloxera epidemic in the late 1800s. The two world wars that later followed, as well as a long economic depression in between, further compounded issues and