20/21. Rhone Valley

Question 1

What city is considered the culinary heart of France?

Answer 1

Lyon

Question 2

What is the origin of Syrah grape?

Answer 2

Rhone-Alpes department in France

Question 3

What is the origin of Viognier grape?

Answer 3

France (related to Mondeuse Blanche)

Question 4

What is the origin of Muscat a Petit Grains Blanc grape?

Answer 4

Greek or Italian

Question 5

When were the French Popes in Avignon?

Answer 5

1309 to 1376

Question 6

What is Vin de Medecine?

Answer 6

refers to wine from CDP sold to Burgundy in the 14th century (through the 19th century) to add tannin and pigment

Question 7

What is “La Cote du Rhone”? When did it originate?

Answer 7

name of an administrative district in the Vicariate of Uzes in the 1600’s, wine from this district was referred to as “Cote du Rhone”

Question 8

When did “La Cote du Rhone” become “Les Cotes du Rhone””?

Answer 8

in the 1800’s, stretching from Vienne to Avignon

Question 9

When did term CDR originate?

Answer 9

1737, King Louis XV enforced branding of wine barrels

Question 10

What is septentrionales?

Answer 10

northern [from (“seven ploughoxen”), a name for the constellations which appear in the northern sky]

Question 11

What is meridionale?

Answer 11

southern

Question 12

What are the 5 categories of CDR AOCs? And what is their relative production?

Answer 12

CDR AOC (regional - 65%), CDR Village AOC (5%), CDR-Named Villages AOC (10%), 16 Cru AOCs (19%), 2 Vins Doux Naturals AOC (1%)

Question 13

The CDR AOCs produce what percent of the total wine production in the Rhone Valley?

Answer 13

75%, thus CDR regional AOC produces 50% (2/3 of all CDR AOCs) of all Rhone Valley wine production

Question 14

What are the 8 northern Rhone Crus?

Answer 14

Cote-Rotie, Condrieu, Chateau Grillet, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Cornas, Saint-Peray

Question 15

What are the 8 southern Rhone Crus?

Answer 15

Vinsobes, Rasteau, Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Beaumes de Venise, CDP, Lirac, Tavel

Question 16

The Southern Rhone produces what percent of the total CDR wine?

Answer 16

95%

Question 17

What is the legal difference between blending formulas for CDR and CDR Village?

Answer 17

CDR formulas regulate percentage of vines in the ground, CDRV regulate percentage of bottle content

Question 18

What is the signature difference between CDR and CDRV?

Answer 18

the required addition of Syrah or Mouvedre in the bottle gives more pigment and tannin in the CDRV products.

Question 19

Which group of AOCs has the lowest minimum alcohol requirement?

Answer 19

Northern Rhone Crus

Question 20

What percent of Les Cotes du Rhone wine production is red?

Answer 20

92% (4% white, 4% rose)

Question 21

What grape variety was reduced dramatically in the Rhone Valley after phylloxera?

Answer 21

Mourvedre (difficult to find a proper rootstock partner) [think Bandol]

Question 22

What are the predominant grapes in CDR?

Answer 22

Grenache (65%) and Syrah (18%) [Only 5% of CDR production is white wine, so no white grapes really predominate.]

Question 23

What percent of Rhone Valley wine production is red?

Answer 23

86% (5% white, 9% rose)

Question 24

What are common effects of the River Effect and Mistral Effect?

Answer 24

moderate summer temperature and prevents frost in the spring

Question 25

What time of year does the Mistral blow?

Answer 25

year round

Question 26

The Northern Rhone region produces what amount of total CDR wine?

Answer 26

5% (4% of total Rhone Valley wine)

Question 27

How long is Northern Rhone region?

Answer 27

45 miles

Question 28

What is climate of Northern Rhone?

Answer 28

moderate continental (diurnal and seasonal temperature swings)

Question 29

What is coulure?

Answer 29

a potential viticultural hazard that is the result of metabolic reactions to weather conditions that causes a failure of grapes to develop after flowering, in English, shatter. [wiki]

Question 30

What grapes are most susceptible to coulure?

Answer 30

Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, and Muscat Ottonel [wiki]

Question 31

What is the most common weather hazard in the Northern Rhone in the fall?

Answer 31

hail

Question 32

What type of ripening characteristics are favored in the Northern Rhone?

Answer 32

early ripening, Syrah and Viognier

Question 33

The vine experiences winter dormancy in which area of the Rhone?

Answer 33

Northern

Question 34

What are the characteristics of Northern Rhone soil?

Answer 34

basically granite (granitic subsoil with topsoil of mica-schist and granitic sand, allowing reflection of heat late in the day)

Question 35

Vins de Paille is found in what Northern Rhone village?

Answer 35

Hermitage

Question 36

Late harvest Viognier is found in what Northern Rhone village?

Answer 36

Condrieu

Question 37

Which Northern Rhone white grape can produce age worthy wines?

Answer 37

Rousanne, Marsanne (Hermitage), Viognier (Chateau-Grillet)

Question 38

Is blending allowed in Cote Rotie?

Answer 38

yes, up to 20% Viognier is co-planted and co-fermented

Question 39

Name 2 Northern Rhone Crus located on left bank of the river.

Answer 39

Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage

Question 40

Is blending allowed in Hermitage?

Answer 40

yes, up to 15% Marsanne a/o Rousanne

Question 41

Is blending allowed in Cornas?

Answer 41

no (contrast to Cote-Rotie, Hermtage and Saint-Joseph)

Question 42

Where is sparkling wine made in the Northern Rhone Crus?

Answer 42

Saint-Peray

Question 43

What is the smallest Northern Rhone Crus?

Answer 43

Chateau-Grillet

Question 44

What is the largest of the Northern Rhone Crus?

Answer 44

Crozes-Hermitage at 3700 acres (not Saint-Joseph at 2900 acres)

Question 45

Name two Northern Rhone Crus that produce only red wine?

Answer 45

Cote-Rotie and Cornas

Question 46

Name three Northern Rhone Crus that produce only white wine?

Answer 46

Condrieu, Chateau-Grillet, Saint-Peray.

Question 47

Name three Northern Rhone Crus that produce both red and white wine?

Answer 47

Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage

Question 48

What city marks the northern extent of the Northern Rhone?

Answer 48

Vienne

Question 49

What city marks the southern extent of the Northern Rhone?

Answer 49

Valence

Question 50

What city marks the northern extent of the Southern Rhone?

Answer 50

Montelimar

Question 51

What city marks the southern extent of the Southern Rhone?

Answer 51

Nimes (CDR stops at Avignon)

Question 52

What is the climate of the Southern Rhone?

Answer 52

moderate Mediterranean

Question 53

What are galets?

Answer 53

large rounded river stones found in the Southern Rhone

Question 54

Galet soil produces what types of wine?

Answer 54

dense, layered, powerful wines

Question 55

Shingle clay soil produces what types of wine?

Answer 55

powerful, tannic age-worthy

Question 56

Stony clay limestone soil produces what types of wine?

Answer 56

age worthy, good acidity, sleek polished tannins

Question 57

Loess and molasse soil produces what types of wine?

Answer 57

wind blown slit and sands, bright whites and simple reds, fruit forward

Question 58

Red sandstone soil produces what types of wine?

Answer 58

black fruit, spice and leather

Question 59

What is the most common vine training system in Southern Rhone?

Answer 59

bush trained or gobelet

Question 60

Which Southern Rhone cru is always hand-harvested?

Answer 60

Beaumes de Venise

Question 61

Are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot allowed to be grown in Rhone Valley?

Answer 61

yes, but only for wines below the AOC category (i.e. IGP)

Question 62

What is the difference between Muscat de Beaumes de Venise AOC and Beaumes de Venise Cru AOC?

Answer 62

Muscat crafts VDN and Cru crafts dry, red wine

Question 63

The Southern Rhone produces what percent of all CDR wine?

Answer 63

95%

Question 64

How many villages produce for CDRV?

Answer 64

95

Question 65

How many villages produce for CDRV named village?

Answer 65

18

Question 66

What percent of CDR Cru production comes from the North?

Answer 66

25%

Question 67

What is the core red blend in the Southern Rhone Crus?

Answer 67

GSM + Cinsault

Question 68

What is the core white blend in the Southern Rhone Crus?

Answer 68

Marsanne, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc Viognier and Clairette

Question 69

A taste of Kirsch suggests which Rhone Cru?

Answer 69

Gigondas or CDP

Question 70

What is the largest Southern Rhone Cru?

Answer 70

CDP

Question 71

Name two Southern Rhone Crus on the right bank.

Answer 71

Lirac, Tavel

Question 72

Name the Southern Rhone Cru that is 100% rose.

Answer 72

Tavel

Question 73

What is the vinification of Tavel wines?

Answer 73

via saignee

Question 74

What are the primary grapes for Rasteau VDN?

Answer 74

Grenache family: Noir, Gris, Blanc, mostly red VDN produced

Question 75

What is the largest non-CDR AOC in the Rhone?

Answer 75

Ventoux AOC

Question 76

Which AOC is cooler and receives more rainfall than other Southern Rhone areas?

Answer 76

Cotes du Vivarais

Question 77

What is the driest AOC in CDR region?

Answer 77

CDP

Question 78

The VDN of CDR contains how much sugar and how much alcohol?

Answer 78

at least 11% residual sugar and 15% alcohol (contrast to Roussillon VDN which may contain much less residual sugar, but most contain more than 10% RS)

Question 79

What color wines are made in Cote Rotie?

Answer 79

red only (but cofermented with up to 20% Viognier)

Question 80

What color grapes are grown in Cote Rotie?

Answer 80

red and white (red wine can be cofermented with up to 20% Viognier)

Question 81

What is the relationship between Condrieu and Chateau Grillet?

Answer 81

Both are northern Rhone crus that make white wine from Viognier. Chateau Grillet is a single property enclave within Condrieu.

Question 82

What color wines are made in Cornas?

Answer 82

red only (same as Cote Rotie)

Question 83

What color grapes are grown in Cornas?

Answer 83

red only (contrast with Cote Rotie where Viognier is coplanted)

Question 84

What are the aroma markers for wine from Muscat de Beaumes de Venise?

Answer 84

grape, peach and perfumed aromas

Question 85

What is the style of Muscat de Beaumes de Venise?

Answer 85

sweet, white wine best consumed young

Question 86

What is the fullest bodied Northern Rhone red wine?

Answer 86

Hermitage (reflects more southern location and south facing aspect of hill)

Question 87

What is the range of trellising in the Rhone Valley?

Answer 87

In Cote Rotie, vines are staked, often in a tepee configuration. In CDP, the vines are bush trained without trellising.

Question 88

From a vinicutural standpoint, what is the advantage of cofermenting Violgnier with Syrah?

Answer 88

tannins from Viognier help stablize the color and tannin of the final red wine product in Cote Rotie

Question 89

What is the role of carbonic maceration in the Northern Rhone?

Answer 89

minor role, but allows production of less tannic wine for early consumption

Question 90

What is the difference between coulure and millerandage?

Answer 90

In coulure flowers stay closed and are not fertilized and grapes fail to develop. Coulure can also cause irregular bunches of grapes which are less compact than normal. These bunches are more sensitive to developing various grape diseases. Millerandage is when the flowers are pollinated but the resulting berries develop with seeds and remain small. Both coulure and millerandage are often caused by inclement weather during the flowering and fruit set period and cause reduced yields.

Question 91

What are the grape varieties with high proclivity to coulure?

Answer 91

Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, and Muscat Ottonel.