Читать книгу The River Rhone Cycle Route. From the Alps to the Mediterranean онлайн
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What to drink
The Rhone flows through some of the greatest wine producing regions of both Switzerland and France. In Switzerland the vineyards of Valais (Stage 3), Chablais (Stage 4) and Lavaux (Stage 5), both in Vaud, and La Côte (Stage 6) near Geneva produce mostly Fendant dry white wine from chasselas grapes and Dôle soft red wine from pinot noir and gamay grapes. Swiss wine is one of Europe’s best-kept secrets as the Swiss consume almost all the production and export very little. Wine by the glass in restaurants is usually priced by the decilitre (1dl = 100ml) and is served in 1dl, 2dl or 5dl carafes. The nearest equivalent to a UK 175ml standard glass is 2dl.
Local wine bottles outside a wine merchant in l’Hermitage (Stage 13)
The French regard themselves as the world’s premier quality wine producing nation and some of the highest quality wines are made in the Rhone valley, particularly at l’Hermitage (Stage 13) and Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Stage 18) both producing full-bodied red wine. Other areas producing AC (appellation contrôlée) quality wines include Seyssel dry white and sparkling wine in Savoy (Stage 7), Côte Rôtie red wine and Condrieu white wine from Viognier grapes (Stage 12) and Tavel and Lirac rosé wine (Stage 19). The greatest quantity of wine, however, comes from 150 AC communes spread throughout the lower valley from Vienne to Avignon (Stages 12–18) known collectively as the Côtes du Rhône and from an even greater number of vineyards in Gard (Stages 18–19) producing VDQS and Vin de Pays wine (less rigorous quality standards, but nevertheless very drinkable and considerably cheaper) mostly from Carignan and Grenache grapes. Listel, the largest producer in France, produces high quality wines from vineyards on the sands of the Petit Camargue, fertilised by bringing mountain sheep down from the hills to graze the vineyards in winter. They are particularly known for Gris de Gris, white wine made from red grape varieties.