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The Rhône for the Certified Sommelier exam

The northern sites, the southern crus and their colours, the estates of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the sweet wines: the Rhône as the Court's Certified syllabus asks for it, with a quiz.

Alper Billik · Advanced Sommelier

Updated October 2026 · 6 min read · Edited with AI

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On this page

The northern Rhône, north to south
The principal northern sites
The southern Rhône crus and their colours
The principal estates of Châteauneuf-du-Pape
VDN and VDL of the Rhône
The appellation ladder and the law
Classic pairings for service
Quick quiz: the Rhône for Certified
Questions people ask

The short answer: at Certified level the Rhône questions go one step past north versus south. You need the northern crus in order with their sites and producers, every southern cru with the colours it may make, the great estates of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and the sweet wines. If the basics are shaky, start with the Rhône for Level 1.

The northern Rhône, north to south

Cru	Wines	Rules to know	Producers
Côte-Rôtie	Red	Syrah, up to 20% Viognier co-fermented	E. Guigal, Jamet, René Rostaing
Condrieu	White	Viognier only	Georges Vernay, Yves Cuilleron
Château-Grillet	White	Viognier; a single-estate appellation	Château-Grillet
Saint-Joseph	Red and white	Syrah, up to 10% Marsanne and Roussanne	Gonon, Jean-Louis Chave
Crozes-Hermitage	Red and white	Syrah, up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne; the biggest northern cru	Alain Graillot, Domaine Combier
Hermitage	Red and white	Syrah, up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne; white from Marsanne and Roussanne	Jean-Louis Chave, M. Chapoutier, Paul Jaboulet Aîné
Cornas	Red	Syrah only	Auguste Clape, Thierry Allemand
Saint-Péray	White, still and sparkling	Marsanne and Roussanne	Alain Voge

Côte-Rôtie: WinesRed; Rules to knowSyrah, up to 20% Viognier co-fermented; ProducersE. Guigal, Jamet, René Rostaing

Condrieu: WinesWhite; Rules to knowViognier only; ProducersGeorges Vernay, Yves Cuilleron

Château-Grillet: WinesWhite; Rules to knowViognier; a single-estate appellation; ProducersChâteau-Grillet

Saint-Joseph: WinesRed and white; Rules to knowSyrah, up to 10% Marsanne and Roussanne; ProducersGonon, Jean-Louis Chave

Crozes-Hermitage: WinesRed and white; Rules to knowSyrah, up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne; the biggest northern cru; ProducersAlain Graillot, Domaine Combier

Hermitage: WinesRed and white; Rules to knowSyrah, up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne; white from Marsanne and Roussanne; ProducersJean-Louis Chave, M. Chapoutier, Paul Jaboulet Aîné

Cornas: WinesRed; Rules to knowSyrah only; ProducersAuguste Clape, Thierry Allemand

Saint-Péray: WinesWhite, still and sparkling; Rules to knowMarsanne and Roussanne; ProducersAlain Voge

The principal northern sites

Côte-Rôtie: terraced slopes facing south-east over the river at Ampuis. The two halves are the Côte Brune (darker, firmer wines) and the Côte Blonde (lighter soils, softer wines).
Guigal's "La-La"s: La Mouline from the Côte Blonde; La Landonne and La Turque from the Côte Brune. They are single-site wines, not appellations.
Hermitage: one south-facing hill above Tain-l'Hermitage, granite on its western end. Its named sites (lieux-dits) include Les Bessards, Le Méal, L'Hermite and Les Greffieux; most great Hermitage blends several of them.
Hermitage La Chapelle (Paul Jaboulet Aîné) is named after the small chapel on top of the hill, not after a vineyard.
Vin de paille: a little sweet Hermitage is made from grapes dried on straw, a rarity worth knowing for service.

The southern Rhône crus and their colours

Cru	Colours	Style	Producers
Châteauneuf-du-Pape	Red, white	Full, warm, Grenache-led; 13 grapes allowed	See the estates below
Gigondas	Red, rosé; white from 2023	Firm, herbal Grenache under the Dentelles	Château de Saint Cosme, Domaine Santa Duc
Vacqueyras	Red, white, rosé	Grenache-led, a touch rounder than Gigondas	Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux, Montirius
Vinsobres	Red	Grenache with Syrah, from the cooler north of the south	Domaine Jaume
Rasteau	Dry red; sweet VDN	Ripe Grenache; fortified Grenache	Domaine La Soumade
Cairanne	Red, white	Cru since 2016	Domaine Marcel Richaud
Beaumes-de-Venise	Red	Dry reds from the foot of the Dentelles	Domaine de Durban
Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise	Sweet white VDN	Muscat à Petits Grains	Domaine de Durban
Lirac	Red, white, rosé	Across the river from Châteauneuf	Domaine de la Mordorée
Tavel	Rosé only	Dry, deep and gastronomic	Château d'Aquéria, Domaine de la Mordorée
Laudun	Red, white	Cru from the 2024 vintage	Too new to have a canon

Châteauneuf-du-Pape: ColoursRed, white; StyleFull, warm, Grenache-led; 13 grapes allowed; ProducersSee the estates below

Gigondas: ColoursRed, rosé; white from 2023; StyleFirm, herbal Grenache under the Dentelles; ProducersChâteau de Saint Cosme, Domaine Santa Duc

Vacqueyras: ColoursRed, white, rosé; StyleGrenache-led, a touch rounder than Gigondas; ProducersDomaine Le Sang des Cailloux, Montirius

Vinsobres: ColoursRed; StyleGrenache with Syrah, from the cooler north of the south; ProducersDomaine Jaume

Rasteau: ColoursDry red; sweet VDN; StyleRipe Grenache; fortified Grenache; ProducersDomaine La Soumade

Cairanne: ColoursRed, white; StyleCru since 2016; ProducersDomaine Marcel Richaud

Beaumes-de-Venise: ColoursRed; StyleDry reds from the foot of the Dentelles; ProducersDomaine de Durban

Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise: ColoursSweet white VDN; StyleMuscat à Petits Grains; ProducersDomaine de Durban

Lirac: ColoursRed, white, rosé; StyleAcross the river from Châteauneuf; ProducersDomaine de la Mordorée

Tavel: ColoursRosé only; StyleDry, deep and gastronomic; ProducersChâteau d'Aquéria, Domaine de la Mordorée

Laudun: ColoursRed, white; StyleCru from the 2024 vintage; ProducersToo new to have a canon

The principal estates of Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Château Rayas: almost pure Grenache from sandy soils; the most perfumed, least typical great Châteauneuf.
Château de Beaucastel (Perrin family): known for a high share of Mourvèdre and for using the full range of permitted grapes.
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe (Brunier family): from the stony La Crau plateau, covered in galets roulés.
Clos des Papes (Avril family), Château La Nerthe, Domaine du Pégau and Henri Bonneau: classic names a guest may ask for.
Why it matters: Châteauneuf-du-Pape was among the first French AOCs, recognised on 15 May 1936. Baron Le Roy, of Château Fortia, led the growers' fight for its rules and later became the first president of the INAO.

VDN and VDL of the Rhône

Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise: VDN from Muscat à Petits Grains, mostly white, fresh and floral. Serve chilled.
Rasteau VDN: Grenache-based, fortified during fermentation, made in several colours and styles.
How a VDN is made: mutage, adding neutral grape spirit while the must is fermenting, keeps natural sugar in the wine.
VDL (vin de liqueur): spirit added before fermentation. Know the definition and the classic French examples (Pineau des Charentes, Macvin du Jura) even though the Rhône's sweet wines are VDNs.

The appellation ladder and the law

Côtes du Rhône: regional AOP, north and south, mostly southern Grenache blends.
Côtes du Rhône Villages: stricter rules, from a defined list of villages.
Côtes du Rhône Villages + village name: for example Séguret, Sablet or Plan de Dieu. Villages that prove themselves can be promoted to cru, as Rasteau, Cairanne and Laudun were.
Crus: eighteen communal appellations, eight in the north and ten in the south.

Classic pairings for service

Northern Syrah (Hermitage, Cornas, Côte-Rôtie): lamb, duck, venison, mushrooms.
Southern blends (Châteauneuf, Gigondas): grilled meats, daube, ratatouille.
Condrieu: lobster, scallops, creamy sauces, mildly spiced dishes.
Tavel: Provençal food, grilled fish, charcuterie, a tagine.
Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise: fruit tarts, melon, blue cheese.

Quick quiz: the Rhône for Certified

Certified practice test

Take it as a real test

8 questions, one at a time. The answer and why after each one, then your score and your weakest topics.

Time me at exam pace · 7 min

Question 1

Which two Côte-Rôtie hillsides are traditionally named?

a)Côte d'Or and Côte de Nuits
b)Côte Brune and Côte Blonde
c)Côte Rouge and Côte Blanche
d)Les Bessards and Le Méal

Show answer

b) Côte Brune and Côte Blonde. Côte Brune and Côte Blonde; Les Bessards and Le Méal are on the hill of Hermitage.

Question 2

Which northern Rhône cru allows no white grapes in its red?

a)Hermitage
b)Saint-Joseph
c)Crozes-Hermitage
d)Cornas

Show answer

d) Cornas. Cornas is Syrah alone.

Question 3

Château-Grillet is:

a)A sweet Muscat
b)A single-estate Viognier appellation
c)A Châteauneuf-du-Pape estate
d)A Syrah lieu-dit in Hermitage

Show answer

b) A single-estate Viognier appellation. It is a tiny white-wine appellation owned by one estate.

Question 4

Which southern cru makes red wine only?

a)Vacqueyras
b)Lirac
c)Vinsobres
d)Gigondas

Show answer

c) Vinsobres. Vinsobres is red only; the others also make white or rosé.

Question 5

Which Châteauneuf-du-Pape estate is known for almost pure Grenache from sandy soils?

a)Château de Beaucastel
b)Château Rayas
c)Vieux Télégraphe
d)Château La Nerthe

Show answer

b) Château Rayas. Rayas is the classic sandy-soil Grenache estate.

Question 6

Rasteau makes:

a)Only sweet VDN
b)Dry red and a Grenache VDN
c)Only white wine
d)Only rosé

Show answer

b) Dry red and a Grenache VDN. Rasteau is a cru for dry red and also a VDN appellation.

Question 7

Which became the Rhône's eighteenth cru in 2024?

a)Cairanne
b)Séguret
c)Laudun
d)Plan de Dieu

Show answer

c) Laudun. Laudun, on the west bank, for red and white wines from the 2024 vintage.

Question 8

What is the difference between a VDN and a VDL?

a)VDN is sparkling, VDL still
b)VDN spirit is added during fermentation, VDL spirit before it
c)VDN is red, VDL white
d)There is none

Show answer

b) VDN spirit is added during fermentation, VDL spirit before it. Timing of the spirit is the whole difference.

Practise the whole Certified theory with my Certified Sommelier practice test and read what the theory exam covers. For the land behind Gigondas, see the Dentelles de Montmirail. SOMM DIGI AI quizzes you on every cru, free to start.

Quiz yourself with SOMM DIGI AI Certified practice test

Questions people ask

What Rhône topics come up at Certified level?

The Court's syllabus lists the principal estates of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the VDN and VDL wines and their grapes, the southern appellations with their grapes and styles, and the principal sites of Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie.

How many crus are in the Rhône Valley?

Eighteen: eight in the north and ten in the south, the newest being Laudun from the 2024 vintage.

Which Rhône crus make white wine?

In the north: Condrieu, Château-Grillet, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage and Saint-Péray. In the south: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vacqueyras, Lirac, Cairanne, Laudun and, since 2023, Gigondas, plus the sweet Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise.