This November I got to go to one of my favorite wine regions in the world: the Northern Rhone Valley. Why is it a favorite? Because I love Syrah! I had never visited the Rhone Valley at all before and found the North to be absolutely magical — dramatic-looking terraced vineyards, delicious food, friendly people and unbelievable wines that were easily accessible. At home, wines from top producers of Cote Rotie, Saint-Joseph, Condrieu and Hermitage are either hard to find or very expensive. In the Rhone Valley, it was easy to order a glass or a bottle of the best Cote Roties at local restaurants and wine bars without spending a fortune. The winemakers were surprisingly accessible too. These famous people I had admired for years were happy to have us drop by for a chat and share their wines.

I had the privilege of barrel tasting at Ogier, Gangloff, Villard and Cuilleron, so I learned how some of the most highly-respected winemakers in the area are aging their wines. I previously had thought Rhone Valley producers in general used a lot of larger barrels (puncheons, etc.) and not a lot of new oak. But I found out that’s more of a Southern Rhone Valley thing (a lot of 400L and 600L barrels down there). Winemakers I encountered in the Northern Rhone Valley are using more 228L and 225L barrels and often a high percentage of new oak, particularly on their better wines made from older vines.

These were some things I observed at my tastings:

• White wines (Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne) were often aged in oval foudres and older 225/228L barrels. Winemakers said they like the foudres because they keep the fruit fresh and prevent the wine from getting too rich.
• In Condrieu (Viognier), a small percentage of new oak was sometimes used (5%-20%), and one winemaker preferred 300L barrels.
• On young-vine reds (10 to 20-year old), very little new oak was used, and sometimes none.
• On older-vine reds (40-year old or more), anywhere from 50 to 100% new oak was used.
• Both reds and whites had portions aged in oak tanks (up to 50 hectoliters).
• Barrel toast levels were usually Medium or M+ on both whites and reds.
• Some wineries used water-bent barrels on the whites but always fire-bent barrels on reds.
• Red wines were aged in barrels for 18 to 24 months.
• Grain types ranged from medium-tight to tight and extra-tight grain.

Admittedly, this was just a small sampling of producers, but many of whom are greatly admired by winemakers and aficionados around the world. I felt it was a good learning experience, and I got insight on how to treat these prestigious Rhone grape varieties and turn them into beautiful wines. Of course, having access to some of the world’s best vineyards helps!