Cotes du Rhone St Cosme

Region Description

Rhone Valley takes its name from the Rhone River which flows from the Swiss Alps, through the valley dividing the Northern and Southern Rhone, and then ending at the Mediterranean Sea just west of Marseille. Inside the Rhone River Valley to the south are the Cotes du Rhone and Cotes du Rhone Villages. 77 % of all Rhone wines are Cotes du Rhone or Cotes du Rhone Villages and wines bearing this label only come ONLY from the Southern Rhone. \"Cotes du Rhone\" is an appellation with which a bottle will be labeled where as \"Cotes du Rhone Villages\" is a title given to a village within that appellation. Of the ninety six villages entitled \"Cotes du Rhone Villages\" there are sixteen considered superior, and because of this they are allowed to append their name. (Example.) Cotes du Rhone Villages Superior Cairanne) The climate is hot and dry, and the soil is less dirt than it is clay, gravel, or stone. Unlike the North, this region relies on blends and is very seldom making single variety wines. Cotes du Rhone makes red, white and rose wine from the grapes of Grenache, Mourverde, Syrah, Cinsaut, Carignan, Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Rousanne and Viogner, with the top wines being red.