The Greeks introduced winemaking here in the 6th century BC, and their work was continued by the Romans and the abbey monks. Our vineyards and our winemakers have been rooted in the region for over two millennia, and have taken advantage of the variety of soils to choose the right place to make the right wines - a decisive element in the recognition of the “Côtes du Rhône” appellation, created in 1937.
The Côtes du Rhône wine region extends on either side of the River Rhone between Lyon and Avignon. It enjoys a semi-continental climate between Vienne and Valence.
From Montélimar to Avignon the climate is typically Mediterranean and the Grenache grape variety is dominant.
Key figures:
- 6 departments: Vaucluse, Gard, Drôme, Ardèche, Rhône and Loire.
- 70,414 ha / 2,863,420 hl
- 5,000 winemaking estates
- 80 % red - 14 % rosé - 6 % white wines
- 390 million bottles of AOC Rhone Valley wines sold all over the world in 2011/2012
- 2nd biggest French AOC wine region in surface area and for regular and organic wines
- Wines from the Rhone Valley were drunk in 164 countries in 2012
- 98% of wine consumers in France are familiar with AOC Côtes du Rhône wines.
Source: Inter Rhône - Avignon - Key figures 2012 - (Inter Rhône is an inter-professional organisation representing all the winemaking industry (viticulture and wine trade) in the Rhone Valley).
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