Everyday Classics: Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Rhône-Villages

Côtes du Rhône AOC

Above all else, Côtes du Rhône wines are known for their versatility. The typical Côtes du Rhône is a fruit-forward, friendly red blend that is drinkable and ready to take on any dish.

Most Côtes du Rhône is indeed red, though a small amount of floral rosés and flavorful whites are produced here. The reds are fruity and meant for young drinking: Their fresh berry flavors should be enjoyed within a few years of their release (these are not wines to lay down in the cellar). They may be made from a combination of any of 13 permitted grape varieties.

The grape growers of this region have always sought to protect their beloved wines by strengthening the typical characteristics of Côtes du Rhône, and in 1996, the growers succeeded in pushing through some new appellation rules. The majority of the wine labeled Côtes du Rhône AOC is made in the southern Rhône Valley, and the southern Rhône is prime territory for Grenache. So it came as no surprise that one of the new regulations specified that Grenache must make up at least 40% of the blend for red and rosé wines. This was the growers’ way of legislating a certain degree of fleshy exuberance in their wines, and ensuring that Côtes du Rhônes would continue to be the pleasurable, friendly, unfussy wines they have always been.

Côtes du Rhône-Villages AOC

Unique terroir, memorable wine: that’s what the word “Villages” on a Rhône label should tell you.

Côtes du Rhône-Villages wines are made in lots of different styles, so generalizations should be avoided here. The wines can be fruity or elegant; ripe or tart; approachable in youth or age-worthy. What is certain, however, is that these wines are far more complex and distinctive than most other comparably priced bottles. This is because soil types, exposition, and yields are strictly regulated for Côtes du Rhône-Villages wines.

If a village consistently makes excellent wines, it may someday be allowed to put its name on the label. And if it continues to improve, it might even become a Cru – the highest honor for any Rhône appellation. When a village finally becomes a Cru, the introductory phrase “Côtes du Rhône-Villages” disappears from the label, and all that is left is the village name: Having produced so many great wines in so many vintages, a Cru needs no introduction.