Southern Rhone Reds

The Southern Rhone is one of France’s major wine producing regions, encompassing a large area along the Rhone River more or less centered around the city of Avignon. As a region, it is noted for red wine, and the grape that defines those wines is Grenache. While most of the varietal wines produced in the US are from grapes considered French, Grenache is the one major French grape not widely planted in the US. In California, for instance, it accounts for just 1% of the acreage under vine.

Its main blending partners are Syrah and Mourvedre, so the blend is often referred to as GSM. Like Grenache, Mourvedre is also not widely grown here. Other grapes are permitted in the GSM blend, but their impact is minor as, most often, they can’t amount to more than 10% of the blend combined. Given all of the above, cultivating a taste for Southern Rhone reds might broaden your varietal repertoire. 

While the rules of the many Rhone appellations vary regarding the GSM blend ratios, in the end, most of the red wines produced are 60% - 75% Grenache, with 20% - 30% Syrah and/or Mourvedre. The one real exception is Tavel, where they only produce Rosés (although Grenache is always part of that blend).

This relative uniformity is good news. The gem of the Southern Rhone is Chateauneuf-du-Pape (CdP going forward), and while there are occasional exceptions, you can expect to pay $25 and up for a nice example. However, the entry fee into this world is a rather modest one. It is not hard to find a really nice Côtes du Rhone (CdR going forward) for around $10 - $15. This is not to say that CdR and CdP are equals – they aren’t, and for many reasons. But given that they are produced from the same varietals in similar proportions in the same general area, you can get a real sense of whether you like the Southern Rhone GSM blend without spending a lot of money (Just be sure to try a well-rated CdR!).

CdP and CdR are not the only appellations to look for on the shelf. Other appellations include Cairanne, Côtes du Rhone Villages, Vacqueyras, Rasteau, Gigondas, Vinsobres, Lirac, Beaume de Venise, and Costières de Nimes. As CdP and CdR are not the same, these other appellations display different characteristics based on the vineyard site or how the grower manages the yields. CdP generally produces the largest wines in this Region, but certainly on the same playing field is Gigondas. An outstanding Gigondas will provide equal reward, but often for several dollars less/btl than a CdP.  

If you don’t need that much structure, try a Vacqueyras as a well-balanced more medium-bodied alternative that’s also much more likely to be ready to drink on release. If you’re looking for a graceful and elegant effort, try a Rasteau or a Vinsobres. Finally, when you’re entertaining a crowd and your budget is a concern, the CdRs or CdR Villages are excellent choices for both quality and economy.

As you can see, despite a seeming sameness of composition, where Grenache grows, and how it’s made and blended, creates a lot of diversity within a limited taste range. As a companion to food, these wines are very versatile. CdPs and Gigondas have the structure to stand up to just about any dish. But much of the charm of the Southern Rhone blends derives from the fact that the fruit is fresh, and the tannins and acidity are nicely integrated making them the perfect choice for stews, bbq, and other highly seasoned dishes (so…it is an excellent lower ABV pairing alternative to Zinfandel).

Because Grenache is prone to oxidation, it doesn’t like the porosity of oak barrels. So, it is usually aged in concrete tanks. The Syrah and Mourvedre, which add much of the acidity and tannin to the GSM blend, are aged in neutral wood barrels called foudres. These large barrels can hold up to 1,000 liters (the equivalent of 4 – 5 typical wine barrels), thus minimizing the effect of the oak. So, for those who do not care for a lot of oak and drying tannins, Southern Rhones may just become your new favorite red. Cheers!