The Northern Rhône wine region exploded in popularity in the mid 80’s and it was really down to two people, Etienne Guigal and Robert Parker. Etienne took over the vineyard in 1946, but it was his promotional efforts of the region combined with Robert Parker that put his wine on the map. Soon the Rhône Valley became famous as a wine region producing some of the most seductively elegant and aromatic wines in the world, Guigal’s Côte Rôtie being one of them.

E.Guigal is truly a family business with Marcel, Etienne’s son, taking over the business in 1961 with the help of wife Bernadette and today their son Phillipe and wife Eve represent the third generation of this iconic property.

Wine has been produced in the Rhône Valley for over 500 years, with some of its vineyards being amongst the oldest in France. Syrah rules over the south with a mix of Mediterranean grapes, while in the north, the two stars are Hermitage – grown on an imposing granite hillside above the town of Tain and best put away in the back of the cellar for a decade – and Côte-Rôtie, a star appellation made famous by Guigal's single-vineyard wines, yet also home to dozens of fine producers as yet less well known. The sheer hillsides overlooking the river have to be terraced to make production possible.

St Joseph and Cornas also provide wines of weight and worth, but the best source for good value is Crozes-Hermitage, a satellite appellation which has come alive in the last few years with the arrival of young blood.

The river valley widens out south of Valence into Côtes du Rhône country on the windy alluvial plains and the lower slopes of the hills. It is a most imposing sight during the cold, clear, blue skies of Mistral conditions. The best of the wine villages of the Côtes du Rhône have been promoted to their own appellations - Vinsobres, Vacqueyras - close in quality to the better known Gigondas.

The king of the southern Rhône is Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Here the galets roulés, rounded rocks from the ancient river bed, provide the context for gloriously rich red wines that are redolent of the heat and herbs of the south, and enhanced by the complexity which comes from blending several grape varieties. Thirteen are permitted in all, but Grenache usually dominates, along with Syrah and Mourvèdre in support. A fine vintage needs eight to 10 years cellaring for best results.

If your taste runs to fuller, richer, relatively exotic white wines, then perhaps a white Hermitage or Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the Rhône Valley would suit better, or else a marvellously perfumed, heady Condrieu - headquarters of the Viognier grape.

Condrieu is a small white wine appellation located in the northern Rhône valley in France, situated on the right bank of the Rhône River between the towns of Vienne and Condrieu. The appellation covers approximately 150 hectares of vineyard land on steep, terraced hillsides. It received its official appellation status in 1940 and remains one of France's most geographically limited wine regions.

The steep terrain of Condrieu's vineyards creates distinct growing conditions, with granite and schist soils that dominate the hillsides. The northern Rhône's continental climate—cool winters and warm, sunny summers—suits the region's sole permitted grape variety, Viognier. The steep slopes necessitate labor-intensive hand harvesting, and the short growing season typically results in wines made using traditional winemaking methods with minimal intervention, allowing the fruit and terroir characteristics to express themselves clearly.

Condrieu wines are dry white wines known for their aromatic intensity and delicate balance. Viognier from this appellation typically displays floral characteristics—particularly notes of apricot, peach, and white flowers—alongside a naturally high alcohol content (usually 12.5-14%) and a silky texture. The wines are generally meant for relatively early consumption, though well-made examples can age gracefully for several years. The combination of the grape's natural aromatics and the mineral influence of the schist soils creates wines that are distinctive within the broader category of white Rhône wines.