WineRegionsOld WorldFranceRhoneSouth
The Cotes du Rhone vineyards produce more than a million hectolitresa year, and are among the most important in France. They involve six departments,which are, in order of volume: vaucluse, Gard, Drome, Ardeche, Rhone andLoire. The main plants are grenache 70%, then syrah, cinsault, carignan,clairette, roussanne, mourvedre and bourboulenc. The secondary plants arecounoise, picpoul, muscardin and voignier.
Cotes du Rhone
Appellation granted in 1937
Total vineyard area is 99,000 acres
Grapes can come from 6 departments (Ardeche, Drome, Gard, Loire, Rhone andVaucluse) and 100 communes.
Major grape varieties used are Grenache, Clairette, Cinsault, Syrah, Mouvedre,Picpoul, Terret Noir, Counoise, Muscadin, Vaccarese, Picardan, Roussanneand Bourboulenc.
Minimum alcohol is 11% by volume.
Maximum yield is 50 ML/HA (amounts to 230 cases per acre)