VENTOUX AOC The rising star of the Rhône

The Southern Rhone appellation is emerging as a community-led force of innovation and sustainability.

There’s something poetic and magnetic about the sight of Mont Ventoux, with its white peak towering over the expanse of the eponymous appellation. Its limestone summit gleams all year round, whether snow-capped or not, sitting beneath the clouds or emerging above them, creating an atmospheric tension of drama and suspense.

This iconic mountain, rising nearly 2,000 metres above sea level, is more than just a topographical feature; it is the embodiment of what makes Ventoux AOC special and unique – an alluring, dramatic reminder of the geological, climatic and ecological characteristics that shape the identity of one of the Rhône’s most exciting and dynamic appellations.

The area has long attracted winemakers and entrepreneurs from different geographies and walks of life, drawn to the mystique of the Ventoux, the singularity of the landscape and the opportunity to produce Rhône wines with an identity very much of their own. Outsiders have, for decades, joined a local community – itself diverse – of growers and producers passionate about both Ventoux AOC as a whole and the idiosyncrasies of their own special corners within it. Producers range from small family-owned boutique estates to large, quality-led cooperatives that support a network of growers, big and small, without whom the local economy and landscape would be all the poorer.

Natural diversity