What is the red grape of the Northern Rhone?

What is the red grape of the Northern Rhone?

• A. Grenache
• B. Carignan
• C. Malbec
• D. Syrah

Answer: (D)

In the Northern Rhône, red wines are defined by a single grape that thrives in the cool, slate-rich climate: Syrah. This grape brings dark fruit flavors, structure, and a distinctive peppery, spicy profile that ages well, and it’s the staple in acclaimed reds from areas like Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, and Crozes-Hermitage. Grenache is more typical of the Southern Rhône and is a common component in GSM blends there, not the defining red grape of the Northern Rhône. Malbec is more associated with Cahors in France and various regions outside the Northern Rhône, while Carignan is more common in the Mediterranean zones of southern France. So the grape most closely linked to the Northern Rhône red wines is Syrah.

In the Northern Rhône, red wines are defined by a single grape that thrives in the cool, slate-rich climate: Syrah. This grape brings dark fruit flavors, structure, and a distinctive peppery, spicy profile that ages well, and it’s the staple in acclaimed reds from areas like Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, and Crozes-Hermitage. Grenache is more typical of the Southern Rhône and is a common component in GSM blends there, not the defining red grape of the Northern Rhône. Malbec is more associated with Cahors in France and various regions outside the Northern Rhône, while Carignan is more common in the Mediterranean zones of southern France. So the grape most closely linked to the Northern Rhône red wines is Syrah.