This useful appellation represents a distinct step up in quality, and often value, from generic Côtes du Rhône. The basic maximum permitted yields are considerably lower, 42 rather than 51hl/ha and the appellation has adopted the Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s minimum alcoholic strength of 12.5% for red wines. The possibility for promotion to a specific appellation exists for each named village: first gigondas then vacqueyras, and in 2005, beaumes-de-venise and vinsobres escaped the relative anonymity of the Villages appellation. rasteau followed. These particularly favoured communes may append their name to the appellation: