Wines of the Rhone Valley

Language English
688 pages
Release date November 1997
ISBN 0751310948
Author(s) Robert Parker
Topics and Technologies Viticulture

Are there wines to rival the greatest first-growths of Bordeaux and the grand crus of Burgundy? Robert Parker's answer is a resounding Yes -- they are to be found among the finest wines of the Rhône Valley. With this new edition of Wines of the Rhône Valley, Robert Parker, the world's most influential wine critic, provides the key to enjoying the winemaking world's best-kept secret. And publication of Wines of the Rhône Valley coincides with reports that the 1995 vintage from this region may be one of the best ever.

With the precursor of this book, The Wines of the Rhône Valley and Provence, first published in 1987, Parker began a campaign to share with the wine consumer the wealth of wines found in this underappreciated region. The area contains the oldest vineyards in France -- indeed the heyday of some of the Rhône Valley wines was 2,000 years ago, around the time of the Roman conquest of France. In recent centuries, these wines have been misunderstood and ignored -- and consequently undervalued. All of which means that some of the great wines of the world are available for a fraction of the cost of those from better-known regions.

Wines of the Rhône Valley is the ultimate resource for every wine lover, highlighting both the greatest wines of the Rhône Valley and the region's finest wine values. These wines range, in Parker's words, "from the humble generic Côtes du Rhône to the most sublime and celestial wines of Côte Rôtie, Hermitage, Condrieu, and Châteauneuf du Pape." With his trademark thoroughness, Parker has fully revised and expanded this edition to reflect changes in the region, new personalities, and the latest vintages.

Robert Parker