What are the Rhone Ranger wines?

The Rhône Valley in France is famous for its full-bodied, spicy, rich, red wines. The appellation is located along the Rhône River for 125 miles in southwestern France, from the cities of Vienne to Avignon.

The region is uniquely divided into two distinct areas. The northern Rhône is planted with the ink-black Syrah grape. The soil is granite. This is home to the great Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, and Cornas wines. In the southern Rhône, the soil is stones, limestone, and clay. The weather is Mediterranean and experiences sudden changes of temperature and storms. Both areas are affected by the mistral winds, which can blow up to 100 miles per hour. There are over thirty grape varieties grown in the south. Most of the reds are blends of Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Syrah. These are the grapes that are now famous as Rhône Rangers in California.

The famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape makes great wines with longevity of 10-20 years. There are thirteen grapes allowed. These grapes were once only grown in this historic place in France. Paso Robles, California, is becoming famous for its Rhône varietals. These are excellent wines and often much less to purchase than the French versions. If you can, try two bottles of the same grape, one from Rhône and one from California, and you be the judge.

Enjoy!