Natural wine from the Rhône Valley

The northern Rhône is narrow and steep. The vineyards sit on granite terraces along the river, and the only red grape in the appellations is Syrah, sometimes with a small share of white grapes. The wines are dark, peppery and taut. The white grapes are Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne.

The southern Rhône is wider and warmer, with pebbles, sand and clay. Here Grenache is blended with Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Carignan, and the wines become more generous and spicier. Tavel is one of the few appellations in France that may only make rosé. In the Ardèche, on the west side of the river, several growers work outside the appellation system and sell their wines as Vin de France.

The producers at PACT in the Rhône are Alain Graillot, La Ferme des Sept Lunes, Domaine Romaneaux-Destezet, Mas de Libian, Les Deux Terres, Domaine Gour de Chaulé and Romain Le Bars (Pousse Cailloux).