The Mistral Winds of Rhône Valley

We get our fair share of cold, windy days in Seattle, but it’s nothing compared to the winds that pummel France’s Rhône Valley. Le Mistral, or the Mistral winds, blow from the northwest to the south, reaching sustained speeds of over 60 mph as they rush down the Rhône River Valley, for days at a time during the winter and early spring 
 
The winds are so strong that trees in the region often lack leaves on their northern facing sides. Local residents refer to them as ‘Le vent des voleurs’ or the winds that drive you crazy. The swirling brushstrokes in Starry Night are Van Gogh’s way of representing the tumult of the Mistral winds he experienced during his time in Arles. 
 
The Mistral winds also have an important impact on the wines of the Rhône Valley. They have a cooling effect on the regions that slow the ripening of grapes. This extended ripening season leads to greater acidity and freshness as well as a concentration of flavor intensity of the region’s wines. 
 
The Northern Rhône and Southern Rhône have markedly different terroirs and produce distinctly different wines. 
 
The Northern Rhône is characterized by steep, terraced vineyards that cling to the hillsides along the Rhône River Valley. The rugged terrain, whose soil is a rocky mix of granite and clay, and a cooler climate, contributes to the structured and intense wines produced there, especially Syrah, which is the only red grape allowed in the Northern Rhône. 
 
In contrast, the expansive vineyards that sprawl across the rolling hills of the Southern Rhône are comprised of richer soil, famous for its galets roules, large, smooth stones, shaped by ancient glaciers and rivers that help regulate vineyard temperatures by absorbing heat during the day and releasing it at night. This allows for a more diverse mix of grape varieties, * and the famous full-bodied blends of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre that come from appellations like Chateauneuf du Pape, Gigondas, and Vacqueyras. 
 
Without the Mistral winds, it’s likely that the vineyards of the Rhône Valley would be more like the surrounding marshes, lagoons and salt flats that form the region’s wetlands. This would likely increase the population of the pink flamingos the region is famous for, but there would be a lot few great wines. 
 
*The 13 grapes allowed for Southern Rhône Valley AOCs are Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Counoise, Muscardin, Vaccarèse, Terret Noir, Picpoul, Picardan, Clairette, Bourboulenc, and Roussanne.