Rhône (French) and Rhône-style (non-French) blended red dry still wines, made traditionally in France from Syrah, or Syrah plus Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignan, and Cinsault, although some Rhône-style (non-French) red blends may contain additonal varietals.

This topic is for ratings and reviews of red blended dry still wines from the French Rhône wine region and non-French Rhône-style red blends produced elsewhere, in which a Rhône grape (usually Syrah) is the predominant grape in the blend. [Varietal Syrah / Shiraz and Shiraz blends (in which Shiraz is the predominant varietal in the blend) is a separate topic.] Traditional French red Rhône blends are made from Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignan, and Cinsault [all are permitted grapes in French Southern Rhône blends, but only Syrah is permitted in Northern Rhône blends]. Non-French Rhône-style red blends produced elsewhere in the world generally are from the same traditional varietals, but also may include different, non-traditional varietals, such as Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet, Valdiguie, and others. California winemakers who are enamored of Rhône-style wines humorously refer to themselves as Rhone Rangers.

Wines are categorized as still wines, sparkling wines, dessert wines, and fortified wines. Sparkling wines, such as Champagne, contain carbonation and thus are "sparkly" or bubbly. Still wines ("still" since they aren't bubbly from carbonation), are either varietals or blended wines. A varietal wine is any wine that takes its name from its predominant grape variety, as opposed to a blended wine, which is a blend of different grape varieties. Dessert wines are sweet, as are fortified wines, such as port and sherry, which have other liquors such as brandy added to them. Aromatic wines, such as vermouth, have been flavored with herbs.

A vintage wine date denoted on the label of the wine indicates the year in which almost all of the grapes used to make the wine were harvested. Non-vintage (NV) wines are blends of grapes harvested in different years, denoted by the absence of a year on the label.

The names of wines reflect a dichotomy between "Old World" and "New World" that exists in the world of wine. "Old World" refers to traditional wine-producing nations of Europe and the Mediterranean, such as France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Germany. "New World" refers to those countries where the wine-growing industry has been established since the arrival of European influences, such as USA, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile, and Argentina. The names of wine everywhere start with the name of the winemaker (or negociant who "assembled" the wine). What comes next in the name is where the dichotomy begins. Varietal "New World" wines are named for the most prominent grape variety used to produce the wine, such as "Cabernet Sauvignon," while blended "New World" wines are named whatever the winery wants, ranging from humorous (Goats do Roam) to simple (Five Reds) to elegantly fictional (Alluvium). "Old World" varietal and blended wines are named after their appellation, or area of origin. Appellation refers to the country, state, county, or viticultural area in which the grapes were grown, such as "Bordeaux" or "Napa Valley." "Old World" wine labels always include the appellation and sometimes include the variety of grape. "New World" varietal wine labels always include the variety of grape and frequently include the appellation, while blended "New World" wines may or may not list the grape varieties on the front or back label.

Rate and review the Rhône (French) and Rhône-style (non-French) wines listed below, or go to the Action section at left to ask that another one be added to the list. Make sure to include the year of production (or if no year appears on the label, insert NV for non-vintage), the appellation or viticultural area (AVA), and the price range, rounded off. Examples: Côtes du Rhône Villages 2005 Grand Veneur "Champauvins" (France) (+/-$12); Wolftrap 2005 Red (Boekenhoutskloof) Rhone Blend (Western Cape, South Africa) (+/-$10); Red Truck 2004 California Red Wine (Sonoma, CA) (+/-$9).