Côtes du Rhone Villages AOC

Appellation in the south of the French wine-growing region of Rhône. The vineyards cover 7,900 hectares of vines in 95 communes in the four departments of Ardèche (4 communes), Drôme (17), Gard (33) and Vaucluse (41). Mostly red wines, but also rosé and white wines are marketed under this appellation. Compared to the regional appellation Côtes du Rhône (which also includes parts of the northern section), there are much stricter regulations. These are, for example, a maximum yield of 45 hl/ha, at least 12% alcohol by volume and precise regulations regarding permitted grape varieties. For the Côtes du Rhône-Villages with indication of the commune, there are even stricter regulations, such as a maximum yield of 42 hl/ha.

21 communes are allowed to add their name to the label. These are Chusclan, Gadagne, Laudun, Massif d'Uchaux, Plan de Dieu, Puyméras, Roaix, Rochegude, Rousset-les-Vignes, Sablet, Saint-Andéol, Sainte-Cécile-les-Vignes, Saint-Gervais, Saint-Maurice-sur-Eygues, Saint-Pantaléon-les-Vignes, Séguret, Signargues, Suze-la-Rousse, Vaison-la-Romaine, Valréas and Visan. A special position is enjoyed by the commune of Brézème, which is allowed to use the AOC Brézème-Côtes du Rhône. The communes of Beaumes-de-Venise, Cairanne, Rasteau, Vacqueyras and Vinsobres are independent AOC areas.

The red wine is blended from at least 50% Grenache Noir (Garnacha Tinta), at least 20% Mourvèdre (Monastrell) and/or Syrah, and a maximum of 20% of other permitted varieties. For the rosé, up to 20% of the authorised white varieties are permitted. The white wine is blended from at least 80% Grenache Blanc (Garnacha Blanca), Clairette Blanche, Marsanne, Roussanne, Bourboulenc and Viognier, as well as a maximum of 20% of other permitted white varieties.

Well-known producers in this very large area include Domaine Alary, Domaine La Bastide Saint Dominique, Domaine Brusset, Domaine de Cabasse, Domaine le Clos des Cazaux, Domaine du Coriancon, Domaine de la Costechaude, Domaine de Cristia, Domaine Delubac, Domaine de Deurre, Domaine Durban, Domaine de la Fuzière, Château du Trignon (owned by the Quiot family), Château la Gardine, Domaine de la Grangeneuve, Florimond Lambert, Domaine du Lindas, Domaine Pélaquié, Domaine de Piaugier, Château Redortier, Domaine Richaud, Domaine St-Anne and Château Signac.

Graphics: From DalGobboM in the Wikipedia on frz. - Own work, GFDL, Link