20. Southern Rhone Flashcards
Southern vs Norther Rhône - size? variance?
- vineyard area much greater than Northern
- wide range of high-volume&cheap to premium wines
- dominated by red but some high-quality white and rosés
Geography? soils? particular area? climate? wind? Grenache vs Syrah?
- valley opens out south of Valence, much flatter terrain than N
- many very stony soils (not all!), absorbing sun and warming vineyard, aiding ripening
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape: galets cover soil surface
- climate: Mediterranean, mild winters, hot summers (drought!)
- mistral can be powerful, causing extensive damage (planting windbreaks)
- Grenache: bush-trained low to ground to protect from wind
- Syrah: more easily damaged, supported by trellising systems
grape varieties - one or two or many? N vs S
- N: usually just one or two varieties
- S: usually complex blends of up to a dozen grape varieties
black varieties? 4
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault
Grenache - abundance? characteristics? ripening?
- dominates most red wines
- by far most widely planted in Southern Rhône
- it can fully ripen here in warm summers
- concentrated red fruit flavours
- hot years: baked and jammy
Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault? characteristics? climate? rosés?
- all three can play supporting role for Grenache
- Syrah provides extra colour and tannin
- Syrah: can struggle in hottest sites
- Mourvèdre: at northern limit, i.e. thrives in this climate
- Mourvèdre: deeply coloured, high tannins, black dense fruit flavours, as well as gamey, meaty aromas (expensive Chateauneuf-du-Pape…)
- Cinsault: red fruit flavours rather than tanning or colour, best known as blending partner with Grenache for rosés
Southern Rhône winemaking - typical? what’s common? techniques? usual habit? oak?
- does not exist as wide variety
- common: all must potentially manage high alcohol and tannins
- techniques range from cold pre-maceration and storage in stainless steel to warm extractive fermentation/maturation in large old oak vessels
- usually winemakers blended from wines that have been fermented using different techniques
- new oak: used by some but may overwhelm Grenache
- style: from light-to-medium bodied fresh, fruity to highly tannic full-bodied reds with flavours of spice, meat and earth
white varieties - norther trio? southern equivalent? best?
- N: Viognier, Marsanne, Rousanne
- S: N + Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc
- best: richly textured, full-bodied, high in alcohol, low to medium acidity
classification (3)?
- regional, village, crus
- regional: Côtes du Rhône, half of wine production, medium-bodied, fruity but simple reds (also whites and rosés)
villages wines? red only? criteria? names? crus?
- Côtes du Rhône Villages
- mostly red, but also whites and rosés
- criteria: minimum alcohol, max yields, greater percentage of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre
- few villages can add their name if 100% wine comes from there (Cairanne)
- these village wines are best outside of crus, more body, structure and spiced red fruit flavours than generic Côtes du Rhône
- all of these villages can apply for cru status
Châteauneuf-du-Pape - location and size? history? geography? why diversity? Grenache? best? quality? white?
- eastern bank of Rhône
- by far largest crus in Rhône valley
- first to have Appellation controlée
- mostly flat although small variations
- size, plus variety of soil types, aspects&number of grape varieties (13 in total) to chose from leading to large diversity in wines
- Grenache dominates as always, some Châteauneuf-du-Pape are 100%! others are more meaty, gamey due to Mouvèdre
- best: full-bodied, richly textured, concentrated spice, red fruit balancing high alcohol
- lots of mediocre due to high variety
- some white
2 Southern crus on west bank? famous for? made from? characteristics? only?
- Tavel, Lirac
- famous for rosé, made from Grenache and Cinsault
- rosés: full-bodied (compared to Provence), intensely flavoured, capable of greater complexity when aged
- Tavel: only rosés
- Lirac: also top quality reds in style of Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Other Villages promoted to Crus? 3
- Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Beaumes de Venise
- Gigondas&Vacqueyras make reds, Grenache-led blends similar to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, of similar quality (but less famous)
- also some rosés and whites
- Beaumes de Venise: fortified Muscats
