This group takes its name from France's Rhône Valley, which the grape types in question call home. While long a minor fixture on the domestic wine scene, these varieties only recently, i.e., in the 1980s, assumed a place of genuine importance among producers (and consumers) of American wines. Thanks to pioneers like Randall Grahm (Bonny Doon) and Bob Lindquist (Qupé), this is now a significant category within the universe of domestic wines, and some of the most thrilling examples of the winemaker's art can be found under this rubric.   More

This group takes its name from France's Rhône Valley, which the grape types in question call home. While long a minor fixture on the domestic wine scene, these varieties only recently, i.e., in the 1980s, assumed a place of genuine importance among producers (and consumers) of American wines. Thanks to pioneers like Randall Grahm (Bonny Doon) and Bob Lindquist (Qupé), this is now a significant category within the universe of domestic wines, and some of the most thrilling examples of the winemaker's art can be found under this rubric.

Syrah is typically a deeply colored, rich, highly perfumed red noted for both its floral (violets, lavender) and spice (white pepper) aspects, and sometimes for a meaty element (bacon comes to mind). Grenache tends toward the unusual combination of somewhat lighter color (at least compared to Syrah) and rather elevated alcohol and often displays notes of kirsch, or cherry liqueur. Each of the above is typically bottled as a monovarietal, although they're sometimes blended together, often with some Mourvèdre or Cinsault, to produce a local take on France's Châteauneuf-du-Pape.   Less