Wine Tasting in Tournon-sur-Rhone

The charming French village of Tournon is known for its medieval castle, historic architecture, and as the source of some of the Rhone Valley's best wine. Here's a glimpse of wine tasting in Tournon-sur-Rhone.

Tournon-sur-Rhone rose to prominence during the medieval era and through the Renaissance in part due to its wines. And many of the grapes for these wines are grown on the surrounding hillsides that overlook the village.

Marlynn and I visited and sampled some of the local wines here in the fall of 2024. It was part of a "Colors of Provence" cruise along the Rhone river, provided by AmaWaterways. A couple of days later, we toured a vineyard in Beaujolais and were treated to some delicious pours there as well.

If you like the idea of being able to hop of a boat, try some wines, explore the area, then get to do it again, all without the hassle of unpacking or finding your way around, a Rhone River cruise is a fabulous way to do it!

Jump to:

• About Tournon-sur-Rhone
• Wine tasting at Château de Tournon
• About the wines
• Cave de Tain wine tours
• More France Travel Experiences

About Tournon-sur-Rhone

Tournon is a small village situated on the banks of the Rhone river, about halfway between Avignon and Lyon. One of its defining features is the imposing Château de Tournon, which sits on a hill just above the town.

Part of the castle dates back as far as the 10th century. While later additions date to the 16th-century. The site was once home to the powerful Counts of Tournon. Now, however, it's a French heritage site and museum.

From the castle, you're treated to sweeping views of the vineyard-laced hillsides that make this region feel lush and verdant. At least, you usually are.

Unfortunately, on the day we visited, fog blanketed the area so visibility was limited. But just on the other side of the river from the castle, steep terraced hills serve as the foundation for the area's many vineyards. Really.

Wine tasting at Château de Tournon

Our wine-tasting day trip started by making the short walk from the boat up to Château de Tournon. Once we arrived, our group was led inside to a large cave-like room for a brief presentation on the local wines and how they're produced.

Today, the area around Tournon is recognized for creating some of the best Syrah in France. In fact, it's the only red grape that's allowed to be used for wine in many of the region's AOCs (or appellations).

But you can find some delicious white and sparkling wines here as well, typically made using a blend of Marsanne and Roussanne grapes. These are the only two white grapes permitted in the region.

Most of the resulting wines are sold through co-ops, which collectively market and sell them. That's because the wineries often don't have the capacity to do that themselves.

Our two wine guides represented one of the leading French co-ops, Cave de Tain. They brought both reds and whites for us to sample, along with various chocolates so we could tell how different ones paired better (or worse!) together.

About the wines

In all, we tried three wines: one white and a pair of reds. First up was the white 2022 Crozes-Hermitage "Les Hauts D'Eole". Made with Marsanne and Roussanne grapes from vines that are at least 45 years old, this wine features aromas of citrus and white peach, as well as vanilla and a bit of nuttiness.

We tried it with a chocolate coated with shredded coconut, which played off the nuttiness of the wine.

Next, we tried a 2022 Crozes-Hermitage Nobles Rives. With prominent black fruit notes and a slight pepperiness, it was a classic example of a 100% Syrah from this area. Though full-bodied and rich, it was not overly tannic or grippy. And it went well with the piece of medium-dark chocolate that accompanied it.

Finally, we sampled the 2022 Saint-Joseph Esprit de Granit. It's named for the granite soils in which the Syrah grapes are grown. This wine features a deep red color and aromas of ripe black fruit, spices, and licorice. It also had notes of minerality and noticeable tannins. We paired this with a dark chocolate that had a high level of cocoa. That complemented the rich flavors and astringency of the wine.

After the tasting, we had some time to check out more of the castle and roam through some of the rooms and courtyards. Then it was back to the ship for our next destination, lovely Vienne, complete with its remarkable Roman ruins and charming city streets.

Cave de Tain wine tours

Cave de Tain offers a variety of wine-tasting experiences. They include stopping at either of their two wine shops in Tournon and a 45-minute cellar and tasting tour. With the latter, you can choose from a trio of wine flights to sample after the tour.

You can find more information on the tasting options here and here.

For more information on the AmaWaterways experience we enjoyed, or to book your own Colors of Provence river cruise, visit the AmaWaterways website.

If you visit, please be sure to let them know that you read about it on Urban Bliss Life! And if you snap some pics, tag us @UrbanBlissLife and #UrbanBlissLife on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook.

Disclosure: This was part of an AmaWaterways press trip along the Rhone River. All opinions and photos are, as always, our own.