The Côtes
du Rhône : In Vaucluse, the Côtes du Rhône vineyards are the largest A.O.C. producers. The appellation sub-divides into regional Côtes du Rhône wines comprised of Côtes du Rhône Villages - Cairanne, Rasteau, Valréas, Beaumes-de- Venise, Roaix, Sablet, Séguret, and Visan - and 3 grands crus, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vacqueyras and Gigondas. Beaumes-de-Venise and Rasteau has proudly borne the A.O.C. label “Vin Doux Naturel” for its famous muscat, for the past 60 years.
The greater part of the Vaucluse vineyards stretch over an area bordered by the towns of Valréas, Bollène, Avignon and the Dentellesde- Montmirail. Red wine accounts for 95% of the production, and white and rosé account for 3% each. For the red wines, the most widely used varieties are Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines can include up to 13 different varieties. They are fullbodied, rich wines which beautifully accompany red meats and cheeses. The villages of Vacqueyras and Gigondas, whose vineyards are practically side by side, produce powerful wines with naturally fruity aromas.
The calcareous soils in Vaucluse, along with the hot and dry Mediterranean climate are also very conducive to producing the pleasant, smooth wines found in the Côtes du Ventoux and the Côtes du Luberon appellations.
> See the map with the Côtes du Rhône circuits
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