16 villages of the southern Rhone

[cabsauvignon]

There is an area in the southern Rhone containing 16 villages which produce superior wine. Can you complete the correct list of them for me?

ciao!

[Drew]

The 16 villages historically recognized for Côtes du Rhône Village are as follows:

16 of the villages which come under this appellation may also affix their name to the Cotes du Rhone appellation ( 5 of these villages located in the Drome are : Vinsobres, Rousset les Vignes, Rochegude, Saint Maurice, Saint Pantaleon les Vignes

Another 8 are found in the Vaucluse and are : Cairanne, Rasteau, Roaix , Beaumes de Venise, Sablet, Seguret, Valreas and Visan.

Finally, 3 communes in the gard being namely : Chusclan , Laudun and St Gervais

Do I get a whoopie prize?????

Drew

[This message has been edited by Drew (edited 05-23-2002).]

[vinman]

Yes! Wonderful job. Dunno know, but where is Brezeme, to the north of the Villages? Isn't it one of the first '16'? Not sure about 'Gard'?

[cabsauvignon]

G'Day! Drew

I am more a pragmatic person, so, I will just keep a glass of Gaja 1997 for you. How does that sound?

Thank you so much for your timely response.
anela

[Drew]

Vinman, you know I got to thinking and did a little research in some books of Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson and the 16 Villages are correct BUT...Brezeme is allowed to place it's name before the appellation. I cannot find the historical reference to answer this in my sources. I did find the below reference on the Winepros.com site and is a quote from that site.

"The Cotes du Rhone appellation covers the entire region, and growers in other appellations, such as Cornas or Gigondas, can downgrade their wines to Cotes du Rhone if they so wish. Sixteen villages are entitled to label their wines Cotes du Rhone-Villages, and if a wine comes from just one of these villages, the name can be appended to the appellation. Thus, you find wines labelled Cotes du Rhone-Villages Cairanne, Cotes du Rhone-Villages Rasteau, and so on. Something of an oddity is Brezeme-Cotes du Rhone, which comes from a single vineyard at Livron-sur-Drome, close to where the Drome meets the Rhone. Brezeme is not one of the 16 villages but is allowed to put its name before the Cotes du Rhone appellation. In addition to Cotes du Rhone, there are numerous smaller, and in many cases more significant, appellations."

http://www.winepros.com.au/jsp/cda/countries/region_topic.jsp?ID=1255

Drew

[vinman]

Drew,
Thanks for the research and the explanation! sure makes sense. Now, I should think any wine we we drink form the villages has got to taste better!! Let it be a good weekend to you and all!