Northern Rhône

**Northern Rhône** ... — the upper stretch of France's Rhône Valley, running south from around Vienne along steep slopes above the river. It is one of the great homes of Syrah. **Wines & grapes** — Reds are made almost entirely from Syrah, in appellations such as Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, Cornas and Crozes-Hermitage. Small amounts of Viognier may be co-fermented with Syrah in Côte-Rôtie, while whites come from Viognier (notably in Condrieu) plus Marsanne and Roussanne. **Character** — The vineyards cling to precipitous granite terraces that catch the sun, and the climate is more continental than the south. The best reds are deeply coloured and structured, with notes often described as black pepper, smoked meat and dark fruit, and they age superbly. **Good to know** — Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie are among the most collectible and long-lived wines of France.

Wines

• Condrieu — E. Guigal
• Crozes-Hermitage Georges — Domaine les Bruyères
• Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde de Guigal — E. Guigal
• Grand Classique — Cave de Tain
• L'Âme Soeur — Michel & Stéphane Ogier
• Les Granits — M. Chapoutier
• Les Hauts d'Eole Blanc — Cave de Tain
• Saint-Joseph Reflet — François Villard
• The Society's Exhibition Crozes-Hermitage — Famille Perrin / The Wine Society