Rhône

"I probably drink more Southern Rhônes than any other kind of wines because it fits in with our cooking. You can drink them young and I appreciate the purity of their fruit. I love grenache." Robert Parker

The oldest vineyard region of France along with the Languedoc. The first vineyard was planted not in the south of the Rhône valley but in the north of it. The Cisterciens and Chartreux monks developed the wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, under the influence of the Papacy installed in Avignon in 1309. Here traditionally up to 13 grape varieties are used including Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Counoise.  Hermitage is the ancient appellation in the North. From here we stock the great Syrahs from Chave, Chapoutier, Ferraton and Jaboulet and Côte Rôtie from Guigal and Rostaing, as well as a few other growers.