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WSET 3 > 20 - The Southern Rhône > Flashcards

20 - The Southern Rhône Flashcards

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1
Q

vineyard area of the Southern Rhône compared to the Northern Rhône

A

much greater

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2
Q

production in the Southern Rhône

A
  • from high-volume & inexpensive to premium
  • dominated by red wine, some high-quality white & rosé wines too
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3
Q

describe the Climate in the Southern Rhône

A

Mediterranean
- mild winters & warm dry summers when drought can be a problem

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4
Q

describe the valley of the Southern Rhône

A
  • the Rhône valley opens out south of Valence
  • vineyards are planted on much flatter terrain than those of the Northern Rhône
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5
Q

the soil in Southern Rhône

A
  • many of the best sites have very stony soil that absorb the sun’s head & warm the vineyard, aiding ripening
  • in some sites, particularly in areas of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, these stones of galets completely cover the soil surface
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6
Q

what is galets

A

round stones in the vineyards of Southern Rhône, particularly in Châteauneuf-du-Pape

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7
Q

hazard in Southern Rhône

A
  • drought: warm dry summers
  • mistral: gain speed & can cause extensive damage
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8
Q

the mistral in Southern Rhône
- why is it more damaging here?
- how is the vy & vines protected?

A
  • gain speed
  • fewer slopes to protect the vines from the wind –> windbreaks have to be planted
  • Grenache is mostly bush-trained low to the ground to offer protection from the wind & to benefit from the warmth of the soil
  • Syrah is more easily damaged in the wind and it benefits from the support offered by trellising systems
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9
Q

Grapes in the Southern Rhône

A
  • many grape varieties

Most used
- Grenache
- Syrah
- Mourvèdre
- Cinsault
- Viognier
- Marsanne
- Roussanne
- Clairette
- Grenache Blanc
- Bourboulenc

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10
Q

Grenache in the Southern Rhône

A
  • dominates most of the red wines
  • by far the most widely planted variety
  • the warm summers mean that it can ripen fully here
  • wines with concentrated spiced red fruit flavours
  • in hot years: the fruit flavours can become baked & jammy
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11
Q

Syrah in the Southern Rhône

A
  • plays a supporting role to Grenache
  • provides blends with wxtra colour & tannin
  • can struggle in the hottest sites
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12
Q

Mourvèdre in the Southern Rhône

A
  • play a supporting role to Grenache
  • is at the northern limit of where it can ripen successfully & thrives in these locations
  • deeply coloured & very high in tannins
  • fully ripe: can develop dense black fruit flavours as well as gamey & meaty aromas (that are highly prized by many top producers, especially in Châteauneuf-du-Pape)
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13
Q

Cinsault in the Southern Rhône

A
  • can also perform a supporting role in red wine blends
  • providing red fruit flavours rather than tannin or colour
  • best known as a blending partner to Grenache in the production of fresh, fruity rosés
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14
Q

wm methods & styles of red wine in the Southern Rhône

A
  • a range of winemaking methods
  • almost impossible to describe a typical Southern Rhône red
  • all winemakers must find a way of managing potentially high tannins & high alcohol levels in order to produce a balanced wine

Wm
- cold pre-fermentation maceration & storage in ss
- warm extractive fermentations in traditional open fermenters & maturation in large old oak vessels
- usually winemakers will make up their blends from wines that have been fermented using different techniques
- new oak is used by some, although a number of traditional producers believe it overwhelms the flavours of Grenache

The styles of the wines vary from-to
- light- to medium-bodied fresh, fruity wines with low tannins
- highly tannic full-bodied reds with flavours of spice, meat and/or earth

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15
Q

white wine in the Southern Rhône

A
  • the cultivation of white grapes remains a minority concern in the Southern Rhône
  • there is no Southern Rhône equivalent to Condrieu or Viognier
  • Clairette, Grenache Blanc & Bourbolenc are the notable additions to the Northern Rhône trio of Viognier, Marsanne & Roussanne, which are also grown here
  • best: usually richly textured & full-bodied, high in alcohol, low-medium acidity, subtle fruity aromas
  • new oak is rarely used
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16
Q

Appellations in the Southern Rhône (3+6)

A

Generic Appellations
(regional & village appellations)
- Côtes du Rhône
- Côtes du Rhône Villages
- Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne

Crus
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape
- Tavel
- Lirac
- Gigondas
- Vacqueyras
- Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise

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17
Q

what appellation accounts for more than half of the entire production of appellation wines in the Southern Rhône?

A

Côtes du Rhône

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18
Q

what wines are made in Côtes du Rhône?

A
  • mostly red wine: medium-bodied, fruity but simple wines
  • fruity rosés & white wines
19
Q

what are Côtes du Rhône Villages?

A
  • a number of villages within the Côtes du Rhône entitled to call their red and, in some cases, white & rosé wines CdR Villages
  • more stringent minimum alcohol levels & maximum yields
  • greater % of the blend must be made from GSM
20
Q
  1. there are a number of individual villages in CdR that can add their name on the label if …
  2. quality
  3. characteristics compared to CdR
  4. example
  5. all of these named villages have the option to apply for …
A
  1. … 100% of the wine comes from the named village
  2. the best wines outside of the crus
  3. more body, structure & spiced red fruit flavours
  4. CdR Villages Cairanne
  5. cru status
21
Q

Where are Châteauneuf-du-Pape?

A
  • in the Southern Rhône
  • on the east bank of the Rhône
22
Q

what are the largest of all the crus in the Rhône valley?

A

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

23
Q

why has Châteauneuf-du-Pape a particular place in French wine history?

A

it was the first area to have Appellation contrôlée status

24
Q

the first area to have Appellation contrôlée status

A

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

25
Q

the vineyard area of Châteauneuf-du-Pape

A
  • notably flat
  • small variations in aspect can have a marked impact on how well Syrah and Mourvèdre perform
  • wide range of soil types, aspects & number of grape varieties winemakers can choose from (13)
26
Q

why is it a lot of diversity among the red wines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape?

A
  • the appellations size, wide range of soil types, aspects & number of grape varieties winemakers can choose from (13)
27
Q

dominant grape in Châteauneuf-du-Pape

A

Grenache

28
Q

wines of CdP
(grapes, qual, char.)

A
  • some very successful CdP are 100% Grenache
  • others make far greater use of the gamey, meaty quality of Mourvèdre
  • best: full-bodied & richly textured with concentrated spiced red fruit flavours that balance the charcteristic high alcohol
  • a lot of mediocre CdP: rather dilute & unbalanced by the high alcohol
  • a small quantity of white CdP is made
29
Q

the only two crus that are on the west bank of the Rhône in Southern Rhône

A

Tavel & Lirac

30
Q

where is Tavel?

A
  • in the Southern Rhône
  • on the west bank of the Rhône
  • south of Lirac
  • north of the town Avignon
31
Q

where is Lirac?

A
  • in the Southern Rhône
  • on the west bank of the Rhône
  • north of Tavel
  • north of the town Avignon
32
Q

what are Tavel & Lirac famous for?

A

the production of rosé

33
Q

what grapes are mainly used in rosé from Tavel & Lirac?

A

Grenache & Cinsault

34
Q

characteristics of rosé from Tavel & Lirac

A
  • full-bodied compared with Provence rosés
  • intensely flavoured
  • capable of developing greater complexity when aged in bottle
35
Q

what wines are made in Tavel?

A

only rosé

36
Q

what wines are made in Lirac?

A
  • rosé
  • top quality red & white wines in the style of CdP
37
Q

where is Gigondas

A
  • in the Southern Rhône
  • in and around the hills to the east of Châteauneuf
38
Q

where is Vacqueyras

A
  • in the Southern Rhône
  • in and around the hills to the east of Châteauneuf
39
Q

the 2 most long-standing crus in and around the hills to the east of Châteauneuf

A

Gigondas & Vacqueyras

40
Q

what wines are made in Gigondas?

A
  • red wines
  • usually Grenache-led blends
  • similar full-bodied, spicy style to CdP
  • many of the wines are as good as CdP
  • likely to remain in the shadow of their more famous neighbour
41
Q

what wines are made in Vacqueyras?

A
  • red wines
  • usually Grenache-led blends
  • similar full-bodied, spicy style to CdP
  • many of the wines are as good as CdP
  • likely to remain in the shadow of their more famous neighbour
42
Q

what wines does the other Southern Rhône villages crus that lie in and around the hills to the east of Châteauneuf make?

A
  • red
  • some crus also permit rosé & white wine production
43
Q

where is Beaumes-de-Venise?

A

in the Southern Rhône

44
Q

what wines are made in Beaumes-de-Venise?

A

fortified Muscats called Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise

WSET 3 (45 decks)

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