Les vins du Rhône par Matt Walls

Wines of the Rhône, written by Matt Walls and published by Academie du Vin Library, is an exhaustive guide that unveils the secrets of Rhône Valley wines, famous for their Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. While this is a classic wine region, it is not set in its ways. Walls reveals how innovations in winemaking and fashions in wine, as well as responses to rapidly shifting climate conditions, have transformed the region.

The wines of the Rhône Valley are renowned for their diversity. This 200-kilometer region, stretching from Vienne in the north to Provence in the south, offers a variety of terroirs and climates. Walls begins with a vivid journey through the terrain, exploring the varied geology of the region, before addressing the pressing issue of climate.

A brief tour through the Rhône's winemaking history, from early Greek settlers to the modern industry, is followed by vignettes of all the AOC-permitted grapes and an explanation of the five levels of the region's appellation system.

Walls encourages readers to venture beyond the famous crus, detailing the terroir of each appellation and describing and assessing typical wines. Profiles of 200 key producers complete the picture. Boxes throughout the text provide interesting asides on current issues as well as key appellation facts, while an appendix on ageing wines offers a guide to the last 40 vintages.

Information:
Series: The Classic Wine Library
Format: Paperback / softback
Pages: 390 pages, 16 black and white illustrations; 16 color illustrations
Publisher: Academie du Vin Library
ISBN: 9781913141479
Published: 6 February 2024
Weight: 616 g
Dimensions: 234 x 156 mm