The Northern Rhône Valley

The very best appellations are Côte Rôtie and Hermitage, although hilltop producers in St Joseph (such as Pascal Perrier of Domaine de Gachon and Pierre Coursodon amongst others) often have the raw materials to make great wines too. The nineties were very kind to the region with some fabulous wines produced virtually every year. 1996 was marked by fairly high acidity although that has helped the wines to age. 1997 was fabulous but 1998 was, in some cases, better with wines showing more structure. As in Burgundy, further north, the star of the decade is 1999: the ripeness and richness of the fruit is phenomenal.

2000 was a good if not great vintage but overshadowed by the splendid 2001 vintage and 2003 was another magnificent year. We are pleased to be listing a very good, beefy Crozes-Hermitage from this year, from Domaine des Sept Chemins.

White wines are made from the elegant Roussanne and Marsanne except in Condrieu and Château Grillet where they are made from the exquisite (albeit expensive to produce) Viognier.

We list wines from (click on image for more information):

                       Domaine de Vallouit