The Northern Rhône, just below Lyon, produces the finest expressions of the Syrah grape. It has a purity seen in the slightly different terroirs of Cote Rotie, Crozes Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, Cornas and Hermitage that have lifted it to a world standard. The Southern Rhône, by comparison, is more about blending to achieve complexity, mixing a plethora of other grapes including Grenache, Mourvedre and Carignan in a process which reaches its apothosis in Châteauneuf-du-Pape where a massive nineteen varieties are included. This means that the Rhone Valley can boast world-class wines from Rene Rostaing and Gilles Barge in Cote Rotie alongside Chateauneuf-du-Pape from Chateau de Beaucastel and Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe. Mix in the southern delights of villages such as Gigondas and Vacqueras, Rasteau and Sablet, Rousset-les-Vignes and Laudun, not to mention our outstanding Cotes-du-Rhone, and you have a very broad and interesting range. Remember too that this is a warm and dry region, allowing bio-dynamism and organic practice to flourish with less inclement weather worries for the growers. Domaine Gramenon and Chateau de Beaucastel have lead the field in France with no let-up in quality.