The great Syrah grape originates from the Rhône - it is in fact the only permitted red variety in the Northern Rhône. There are of course a geat many other grapes grown in the Southern Rhône; red Chateauneuf-du-Pape can be made with a blend of up to thirteen different varieties(some of which are white)! The Rhône's production of AC wines is second only to Bordeaux in quantity, and its quality status has been growing at a dramatic rate in the last few decades, so much so that many of the top rated wines by the greatest producers (both red and white) can fetch astronomical prices. It is in the north that the greatest wines are made. Reds are all Syrah based with some white varieties also included - Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne. Whites are all made from these same three varieties. In recent years Viognier has become extremely fashionable sending the prices of the Northern Rhône's great whites (Condrieu, Château Grillet and Hermitage) spiralling to White Burgundy level. In the Southern Rhône the styles produced vary enormously, from everyday drinking wines such as Côtes-du-Rhone to massively complex reds like Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Most Côtes-du-Rhone is made to be drunk young although there are some exceptions, while a lot of Chateauneuf-du-Pape needs a few years in the cellar. The grape varieties of the Southern Rhône are seemingly endless, but the most significant of the region are Syrah, Grenache,Cinsaut, Carignan, Mourvedre and Terret Noir for the reds, and Roussanne, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Picpoul and Grenache Blanc for the whites. Just about any wine produced in the Southern Rhône may be labelled as Côtes-du-Rhone as long as it reaches 11 degrees of alcohol, while Côtes-du-Rhone Villages refers to wines that tend to be of higher quality; some of these villages have their own AC status (Cairanne, Rasteua and Valreas for example). Red, white and Rosé wines are produced in the south.