Ardeche Wine Region

A département of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes région in the south east of France. The name of this departement, like many others comes from the name of the river which crosses it to the south, naturally delimiting it from the Gard departement in the last stretch before finishing in the Rhône river.

The Ardèche is 125 km long and owes its fame to its winding bed forming small limestone canyons. This beautiful region is made up of terrain that is sometimes granitic, sometimes volcanic depending on where you are. Down south the river goes through the Pont d'Arc, a natural stone arch 60m wide and 34 meters high that attracts many visitors, especially for kayaking under the arch.

Another attraction is the Grotte Chauvet, a UNESCO World Heritage site which shows early human activity in the area as far back as 37000 years ago with various cave paintings showing the life of the time in the Aurignacian period. The cave and its paintings have been reproduced in a life-size replica that can be visited.

Concerning wines, the area has been producing wine since the Roman Antiquité, and archeological research around Alba-la-Romaine has shown that wine growing has been part of the landscape since its foundation in the 3rd century.

Ardeche, between its different labels like IGP Ardèche and various AOPs like Côtes du Vivarais shows a rich culture of winemaking - from white wine to red wine, including rosé that has been the stable of many aperitifs and summer meals for a few decades already.

Ardèche sits on the western bank of the Rhône river and bridges the northern Rhône vineyards (Cornas, StPeray, Saint Joseph and Condrieu) and the southern Rhône vineyards (Côtes du Rhone Villages, Côtes du Vivarais) thanks to its contrasted climate.