Côtes du Rhône is the appellation that covers the whole Rhône valley, from Vienne in the north down to Avignon, and it can be used anywhere in the region including inside the boundaries of more specific appellations. In practice almost all of it comes from the southern half, where the valley opens out and the vineyard area is vast. It is the workhorse name of the Rhône and accounts for the majority of what the region bottles.

Reds dominate and Grenache leads them, usually blended with Syrah and Mourvèdre, giving warm, peppery wine meant to be drunk within a few years. Whites come mainly from Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Viognier, and there is a steady amount of rosé. Above this sits Côtes du Rhône Villages, which demands lower yields and riper fruit, and a group of named villages that may add their own name to the label, several of which have since been promoted to appellations of their own.