Northern Rhone
Syrah is king amongst the red wines of the Northern Rhone and Viognier for the whites. The steep Granite hills around the village of Tain are home to the two most famous wines – Cote Rotie and Hermitage. St Joseph and Crozes Hermitage make fantastic wines that offer real value for money and the producers of Cornas are the up and coming stars. The best wines need to be forgotten in the cellar for a decade before approaching, once mature they are beautifully perfumed and elegant on the nose and the block of tannin have broken down to offer gorgeous smoke and fat on the palate.