19. Northern Rhone

Question 1

Northern Rhône - geography and location? why important?

Answer 1

• steep slopes next to River Rhône
• between Vienne (north) and Valence (south)
• only small percentage of total Rhône production
• but home to many premium vineyards

Question 2

Geography? orientation? best? why? stakes? climate?

Answer 2

• Rhône Valley quite narrow and slopes steep
• side-valleys feeding Rhône
• best: steep slopes and south-facing - protected from cold north wind like mistral
• vines supported by one stake or tepee-like arrangement of stakes
• climate: similar to Beaujolais - moderate and continental
• temperatures notably cooler than Southern Rhône

Question 3

grape varieties?

Answer 3

• most famous for red powerful wines made from Syrah

- small amount of white but significant reputation for Viognier (premium)

Question 4

black varieties allowed? impact of climate? premium? characteristics? oak? whites? why (2)?

Answer 4

• Syrah is only black variety permitted in Northern Rhône
• Very northern limit of where it can ripen due to latitude and cooling mistral
• most prized sites for Syrah have southerly exposures and steep slopes
• deeply coloured, medium to high tannin with black fruit, sometimes black pepper and floral
• oak depends on winemaker, some prefer new oak, others prefer older or larger barrels
• fermenting Syrah with whites has been practised in a number of crus but now rarely seen. It helps stabilise colour extraction from red grapes, plus Viognier helps to add extra aromatic intensity

Question 5

white varieties (3)?

Answer 5

• Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne

Question 6

Viognier- characteristics? risk (2)? dry?

Answer 6

• full-bodied with perfumes of blossom, apricots
• flavours of stone-fruit
• low acidity
• high alcohol because grapes only develop their signature aromas until very late in season, i.e. when reaching high level of sugar ripeness
• grapes need careful handling otherwise develop oily character
• new oak increasingly used but needs careful handling as oak flavours can overwhelm primary aromas
• small number of wines made in an off-dry style

Question 7

• Marsanne? Rousanne?

Answer 7

• Usually blended together
• Marsanne: richness&weight
• Rousanne: acidity & perfumed fruit characteristic
• don’t have aromatic intensity of Viognier but can age well and develop complex hazelnut aromas

Question 8

Côtes du Rhône? crus? size of appellations? exceptions?

Answer 8

• generic Côtes du Rhône can be made in Northern Rhône but very rare
• most wines come from a cru appellation
• most crus of Northern Rhône are tiny
• exc: Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage

Question 9

Crus appellations from North to South (6)?

Answer 9

(- Vienne)
- Côte Rôtie
- Condrieu
- Saint Joseph (long)
- Hermitage
- Crozes-Hermitage
- Cornas
(- Valence)

Question 10

Côte Rôtie? town? translation? red? white? characteristics? vs Hermitage?

Answer 10

• around Ampuis, in the north
• “roasted slope”
• only red produced but up to 20% Viognier can be added, unusual to add more than a small percentage
• deeply coloured, full-bodied, spicy
• best have aromatic, floral freshness and textural elegance distinct to Hermitage

Question 11

Condrieu? best? Château-Grillet?

Answer 11

• white only made from Viognier
• best: from low-yielding old vines, grown on steep, well-exposed, terraced vineyards
• single property appellation producing wine in similar style

Question 12

Saint-Joseph - where? most wines? excellent (2)? larger volumes?

Answer 12

• runs along western bank of Rhône from Condrieu (north) to Tournon (south)
• most wines are reds made from Syrah
• also white from Marsanne and Rousanne
• excellent 1: near terraced vineyards near Touron, similar to Hermitage
• excellent 2: south of Condrieu
• larger volumes of light-bodied wines, often include carbonic maceration, come from more fertile, flatter sites on valley floor and plateau above slopes –> lightest bodied of Northern Rhône, expressing pepper-perfume of Syrah

Question 13

Hermitage - where?

Answer 13

• steep south-facing slopes

- behind town of Tain-l’Hermitage

Question 14

Hermitage - lieux-dits? best? but?

Answer 14

• “named sites”
• not part of appellation system
• vary in steepness and aspect, giving wines of subtly different style and body
• best Hermitage was usually a blend of these different sites
• some producers have started to release wines made from specific lieux-dits

Question 15

Hermitage - red? characteristics? white? %?

Answer 15

• red: generally fullest-bodied of Northern Rhône, ages well
• up to 15% of Rousanne and Marsanne can be fermented with Syrah but now rarely done
• today R. & M. are made into whites, now about 20% of Hermitage’s production

Question 16

Crozes-Hermitage - volume? terrain (N vs S)? reds? quality? oak? overall?

Answer 16

• most important appellation in terms of volume in Northern Rhône
• vineyards around hill of Hermitage, N: steep slopes, S: flat plaines
• reds made of Syrah (allowed to add 15% Marsanne, Rousanne)
• quality, style, price varies significantly depending on location: lighter wines from higher yielding flatter sites in S, more concentrated, tannic, complex wines from steeper slopes in N
• some more expensive may be aged in oak
• overall not same reputation as Hermitage and Côte Rôtie

Question 17

Cornas - climate? unlike others? characteristics?

Answer 17

• most southerly or red wine crus
• by far the warmest
• sheltered, well-exposed, sun-baked south-facing slopes
• unlike others: Cornas must be of 100% Syrah
• deeply coloured, full-bodied, style and quality similar to Hermitage