Co-operatives in Rhône
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The mainpart of the cooperatives in Rhone were founded 70-80 years ago. This made it possible for farmers in the area to make vines a more important part of the crop compared to olive trees, fruit trees, vegetables and cereal. Especially the cold winter in 1956 made a big difference as many of the olives trees were destroyed and were replaced by vines - especially in the central area Vaucluse.
The cooperatives in Vaucluse played an essential rule when the Cotes du Rhone appellations with or without geographical names were created in 1953. In some areas there was hardly any independant producers.
For the last twenty years things have changed. Many winegrowers have left the cooperatives and make and bottle the wines themselves. The younger generation of winegrowers are better educated and are not satisfied with just delivering the grapes.
You have to admit that it's the private winegrowers who have made the wines from Rhone beloved by wine lovers. 

Below are listed the co-operatives in three departments making wines within the frame of this website - making wines from appellations higher than Cotes du Rhone Village.
Links to "complete list" go to sites with list of all co-operatives in the three departements.

The Installations at a co-operative can be impressing as those in Bedoin

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DRÔME

Complete list (14)
Vinsobres
 		Cave la Vinsobraise
Founded 1947. 250 suppliers.		 Vinsobres
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VAUCLUSE

Complete list (42)
Beaumes de Venise Les Vignerons de Beaumes de Venise
Founded 1956. 203 suppliers. Production area 1260 ha. 		 Beaumes de Venise
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Bedoin Vignerons du Mont Ventoux
Founded 1924. 200 suppliers. Production area 1000 ha.		 Ventoux
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Cairanne Cave de Cairanne
Founded 1929. 100 suppliers.		 CDRV Cairanne
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Courthezon Cellier des Princess
Founded 1924. 250 200 suppliers. Production area 750 ha.		 Chateauneuf du Pape
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Gigondas Cave Gigondas
Founded 1956. 160 suppliers.		 Gigondas
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Rasteau Cave des Vignerons de Rasteau
Founded 1925. 80 suppliers. Production area 700 ha. 		 CDRV Rasteau
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Vacqueyras Vignerons de Caractere
Founded 1957. 80 suppliers.		 Vacqueyras
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Visan Cave les Coteaux
Founded 1937. 370 suppliers.		 CDRV Visan
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GARD

Complete list (112)
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Chusclan/Laudun Vignerons Laudun Chuslan
2 cooperating cooperatives, founded 1925 and 1939. 
200 suppliers. Production area 700 ha. and 2.300 ha.		 CDRV Laudun/Chusclan
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Estezargues Caves des Vignerons Estezargues
 Founded 1965. 8 estates and some smaller suppliers.		 CDRV Signargues
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Tavel Les Vignerons de Tavel
 Founded 1937. 85 suppliers. Production area 680 ha. Production 35.000 hl.		 Tavel - Lirac