A large appellation located on the west banks of the Rhône river, located around the Ardèche, in the central portion of the valley. Côtes du Vivarais is known for producing light and easy drinking wines that are best consumed young. The reds are made from a minimum of 90% of Syrah and Grenache, and can represent a good value over many of the Côtes du Rhône wines made nearby from lesser grapes and by Carbonic Maceration. The whites are a step down in quality, and are usually a blend of Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Marsanne, with the maximum allowed of any of these being 75%.
Though this is a land of high contour and deep crevasses in the earth, most of the vines are planted in the flat lowland areas.
France → Rhône → Northern Rhône
French AOC