Côtes du Rhône Wines: Rouge, Blanc, Rosé and Villages from the Rhône Valley

Côtes du Rhône or Côtes du Rhône Villages?

The short answer is how tightly the area is drawn. Plain Côtes du Rhône can come from anywhere in the appellation, while Côtes du Rhône Villages comes from a smaller group of villages in the south, with lower yields and stricter rules.

A select group of villages and areas may add their own name to the label, such as Sablet or Plan de Dieu, a stony plain shared by four villages. Above them sit the crus, such as Gigondas, Vacqueyras and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which use the village name alone.

Red, White and Rosé Côtes du Rhône

Red Côtes du Rhône is usually a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, with raspberry, plum, pepper and dried herbs. Some producers, such as Guigal, give Syrah a bigger role for a darker, more peppery style.

The whites draw on Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier for round, aromatic wines with pear and blossom. The rosés are dry and fruity, made for long lunches in the sun.

Côtes du Rhône Wine Brands in Our Range

E. Guigal makes a classic Côtes du Rhône, in red and white. The Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel adds its Réserve wines and Coudoulet de Beaucastel, grown just outside the boundary of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Paul Jaboulet Aîné's Parallèle 45, Delas Frères' Saint Esprit, Domaine de Beaurenard and Maison Bouachon's Villages follow, with everyday favourites from Cellier des Dauphins and the organic La Résistance.

Serving and Food Pairing

Serve the reds slightly cool, at 15 to 17 degrees, and the whites and rosés well chilled. A red Côtes du Rhône is lovely with sausages, pizza, lamb chops and anything off the barbecue, and the rosé suits salads and grilled fish.

What Kind of Wine Is Côtes du Rhône? Your Questions, Answered

What kind of wine is Côtes du Rhône?

A wine from the Rhône Valley in south eastern France. Most is a juicy, medium bodied red wine led by Grenache, but there is white and rosé too.

Is Côtes du Rhône dry?

Yes. Red, white and rosé Côtes du Rhône are made in a dry style, with ripe fruit that can make them taste generous.

Is Côtes du Rhône like Shiraz?

It often includes Syrah, the French name for Shiraz, but Grenache usually leads, so it tastes lighter, juicier and more herbal than most Australian Shiraz.

What wine is similar to Côtes du Rhône?

Australian GSM blends of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvèdre are the closest local match, and Spanish Garnacha shares the same juicy, spicy fruit.

How do you pronounce Côtes du Rhône?

Say coat doo rone. The name began as a district on the river's west bank near Uzès and spread to both banks in the 1800s.

Why Buy Côtes du Rhône Wine at YourWines?

From a bottle for a midweek pasta to a dozen for the winter, you can buy Côtes du Rhône wine online at a fair price, alongside the rest of our French wine range.

Every wine is chosen by our team, available by the dozen or as a six-pack, and shipping is free Australia wide with a surcharge for WA, TAS and remote areas. For more classic reds, explore our French red wine.