Rhône Valley Vineyards for Wonderful French Wines

Our readers are always seeking out new wine styles that fit with the temperature and seasonal activities. Eye some new wines to fill shopping carts! We have information about France’s Rhône Valley Vineyards, a region that boasts a wide variety of red wine expressions that are well-suited for holiday food pairings and activities.

Located in Southern France, the Rhône Valley is a privileged passage between the Mediterranean world and Northern Europe that has been cultivating vineyards for wine production for over 2,000 years, making it one of the most ancient wine-growing areas in the world. Over centuries, the region has developed a rich winemaking tradition that continues today, passed down through generations. 

For red wines, the Northern Rhône Valley AOCs are renowned for high quality, complex single varietal wines produced from Syrah, a variety that is often referred to as the “King” grape variety of the Northern Rhône. Among the Southern Rhône Valley AOCs, winemakers have perfected the art of blending red wines that demonstrate the best of each grape variety, which are typically Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre (GSM) blends.

Red wines from the Rhône Valley Vineyards are a match for a large range of fall cuisines and traditions!

Food Pairings: As the temperatures cool, consumers will be preparing heartier meals, for which Rhône Valley red blends and single varietal wines will be an excellent pairing.

Seasonal Stews - Autumnal vegetables like onions, carrots, squash, pumpkin, turnips, and sweet potato make for great ingredients for medium to rich stews that include beef, pork, and other meats, or are vegetarian with lots of flavor to match a red wine.

Beef Roasts - For meat lovers, there is nothing more delicious than a beautiful cut of beef roast, paired with a well-balanced glass of red wine in the fall. 

Winter Festivities: With winter comes lots of fun activities from nature excursions to sports outings and holiday gatherings, where Rhône Valley reds will make a great accompaniment.

Football Season - For the wine enthusiasts who also love sports, football season is a great opportunity to watch the game and delight in a bottle of wine to relax with friends.

Thanksgiving - This American holiday requires a bottle of wine for most celebrations. Give thanks through food and drinks with family.

We experienced two of the Rhone Valley’s delightful red wines that are very accessible!

Château Beaubois AOC Costières de Nîmes Expression Rouge 2019 ($17) This is a blend of 70% Syrah, 20% Granache and 10% Marselan.  This wine has an intense purple color.  It has pleasant notes of blackcurrant, blackberry, and licorice. On the palate is this blend has soft tannins.  It is a tasty, supple wine.

Château de Mille AOC Luberon Saint Lucide Rouge 2020 ($15) - This wine has a beautiful, deep red color in the glass.  On the nose there are hints of blackberry, spices and pepper. It is a well balanced wine that has a long, lovely finish.  

To learn more about Rhône Valley Vineyards, please visit https://www.vins-rhone.com/en. 

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Inter Rhône

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