Hold on to your hat—we’ve entered the land of the mistral, a powerful wind that sweeps down from the Alps and skips along the Rhône River in eastern France. Aside from this whiplash wind and the river they share, however, there are few ties that bind together the appellations of the northern and southern Rhône.  Syrah is the single red grape that lords over the rocky vineyards in the north—its delicate perfumes and vibrant flavors bespeak of the granite slopes that hover precipitously over the watery highway below. The “roasted slopes” of Côte Rôtie may make one dizzy—if not from the sheer banks, then from the quality of the vineyards, terroir that even the ancient Romans recognized as exemplary.

While the best wines from the north are singular, if sometimes serious, wines from the south enjoy letting their hair down. The southern Rhône turns the thermostat up, so grapes get rounder and fuller here, a bit more voluptuous. Varietals such as Grenache and Mourvèdre simply love the sun. Stand at the crest of any vineyard and you’ll catch your breath—vineyards pour out in every direction, traveling up and down each pebbly wrinkle, each limestone fold of earth. Châteauneuf-du-Pape hasn’t seen a pope in generations, but its wines are worth the reverence. The most celebrated appellation in the south, Châteauneuf has a wealth of grapes to choose from for its blends, some 13 varieties in all. At the top of the list is Grenache, with Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Counoise all playing part—just to name a few. The best, most regal bottles from this region combine sweetness and spice, round flesh wrapped around a bold backbone, and a future that seems almost endless.