Southern Rhône white wines gain ground as appellation rules may widen

Decanter’s panel assessed 105 white wines from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vacqueyras, Cairanne, Lirac, Gigondas and Laudun. It rated 14 Outstanding, 34 Highly Recommended, 41 Recommended and 16 Commended. Châteauneuf-du-Pape supplied the most Outstanding wines and the three highest-scoring entries, while each of the other appellations except Laudun had at least one wine in that category.

The report describes rising production and demand for southern Rhône whites, alongside a gradual expansion of where they can be made. Gigondas introduced white wines from the 2023 vintage; Vinsobres is due to do so from 2026. Separately, 11 Côtes du Rhône named villages that currently cannot produce whites have jointly asked appellation authorities to relax the rule. The report says acceptance appears likely, but gives no timetable or details of the proposed change.

Most wines in the tasting came from the 2023, 2024 and 2025 vintages. Decanter’s judges characterized 2024 as particularly strong and consistent, while noting that some 2025 wines may still be developing through lees ageing and may not yet have been bottled.