Wines of the Rhone Valley

In the precursor to this book, “The Wines of the Rhone Valley and Provence”, first published in 1987, Robert Parker began a campaign to share with the wine consumer the wealth of wines to be found from this under-appreciated region. He believes that the finest wines of the Rhone Valley rival the greatest first-growths of Bordeaux and the grand crus of Burgundy. Although wine has been produced in the Rhone Valley for 2000 years, and many of today’s wines come from the oldest vineyards in France, in recent centuries these wines have been misunderstood, ignored and consequently undervalued. In this revised edition of “Wines of the Rhone Valley”, updated and greatly expanded to reflect changes in the region, new personalities and the latest vintages, Parker provides the key to enjoying the winemaking world’s best-kept secret. The book is divided into two main sections – the lush valleys of the northern Rhone and the sunbaked hillsides of the southern – profiling each appellation. A handy summary box provides information at a glance, including types of wines produced, grape varieties planted and number of acres under vine. The price range of the wines is listed, along with an assessment of their quality and ageing potential. The description of each appellation that follows – its history and personalities, successes and failures – is accompanied by a rating of recent and older vintages using Parker’s 50-100 point scale. He provides his classification of the growers of each appellation, explaining how the wines are vinified and bottled and advising how long to cellar and when to serve the wines. He also provides guidelines on what a visitor travelling in the Rhone Valley can expect to pay for a meal as well as recommending restaurants and lodgings. This is a resource for every wine lover, highlighting both the greatest wines of the Rhone Valley and the region’s finest wine values.