Côtes du Rhône Villages: Domaine Les Asseyras Les Terres d'Auguste Red

The Rhône Valley is home to some of the oldest vineyards in the world, with wine production dating back to Greek occupation in the 4th century BC and thriving under the Romans; it was later revived when the papacy moved to Avignon in the fourteenth century, giving Châteauneuf-du-Pape ('the Pope's new castle') its name. The Northern Rhône is home to prestigious names such as Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, and Hermitage - small-production wines of exceptional quality - where Syrah is the sole red grape and whites come from Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne. The larger, warmer Southern Rhône is best known for the bold Châteauneuf-du-Pape and its rival Gigondas, alongside excellent-value names such as Vacqueyras, Rasteau, and Cairanne. Its wines are predominantly red, built chiefly on Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre.

A step above the regional Côtes du Rhône in the Rhône Valley's quality hierarchy, reserved for wines from a selection of higher-quality villages, mostly in the southern Rhône. For reds and rosés, Grenache Noir is the principal grape, blended with Syrah and Mourvèdre, while the whites draw chiefly on Bourboulenc, Clairette, and Viognier. Over 90% of production is red — bold, generous, and more concentrated than basic Côtes du Rhône — with rosé accounting for less than 1%.