The Road from the Rhône to Provence @ Solano Cellars Friday, August 7th

Everyone knows the iconic subregions of the Rhône (Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Hermitage, and the ubiquitous Cote du Rhone). But fewer realize how seamlessly the southern Rhône Valley turns into Provence, geographically and culturally, as the Rhône River valley widens eastward toward the Mediterranean coast, shifting from a river-adjacent basin into the sun-drenched, limestone hills of southeastern France. 

Both regions experience a hot Mediterranean climate and are swept by the cooling, dry Mistral wind. Wild, resinous herbs like rosemary, thyme, and lavender blanket the uncultivated ground in both regions, scenting the local air and influencing the vines. The two share many of the same primary grape varieties (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre). But where the flat, stone-strewn alluvial plains of the southern Rhône valley offer intensely concentrated fruit, the rugged limestone massifs, valleys, and coastal basins of Provence provide more notable lift and freshness, even if the grapes that anchor wines from each place are largely the same.

On Friday, we’ll taste through a lineup of our favorite new Rhône & Provence arrivals from our friends at Farm Wine Imports to explore what connects these two neighboring regions, and how each of their distinct terroirs make the regions uniquely their own.