C19 - The Northern Rhone (reviewed)

Question 1

Describe the Rhone Valley in the Northern Rhone and where the best vineyards are located

Answer 1

• The Norther Rhone valley is quite narrow and steep
• Vineyards mainly planted close to the river
• Northern Rhone’s best vineyards are:
  
  • on steep slopes with southerly facing aspect
  • in lateral valleys that feed into the Rhone = vines are better protected from the cold northerly Mistral which can damage them
• Climiate
  
  • Moderate continental, similar to Beaujolais
  • Noticeably cooler than in the Southern Rhone
• Most Northern Rhone wines come from one of the cru appellations, but tecnincally geneic Cotes du Rhone can be made here as well.
• Appelations (North to South)
  
  • Cote Rotie
  • Condrieu
  • Saint Joseph
  • Crozes-Hermitage
  • Hermitage
  • Cornas

Question 2

What are the red and white grape varieties of Northern Rhone?

Answer 2

• Syrah (only red grape allowed)
• Viognier
• Roussane
• Marssane

Question 3

How are vines typically supported in the Northern Rhone?

Answer 3

By individual stakes or tepee-like arrangements of stakes

Question 4

Discuss Syrah in Northen Rhone

Answer 4

Syrah is at the very northern limit of where it can ripen successfully,

Therefore the most prized sites for Syrah have southern exposure and are on very steep slopes.

Syrah wines are:

• Deeply coloured
• Medium to high tannins
• Black fruit and sometimes black pepper or floral aromas

Question 5

Discuss Northern Rhone based Syrah winemaking

Answer 5

Fermentation - traditional winemkaing practive in many crus:

• Fermenting Syrah with white varieties (Roussane, Marsssane, Viognier)
• Helps to stabilise the colour extraction from the red grapes
• Add an aromatic intensity to the grapes (Viognier particularly)

Usage of oak depends on the winemaker

• Some use new oak for heir best wines
• Some use older oak or larger barrels

Question 6

Describe wines made from Viognier in the Northern Rhone

Answer 6

• Full bodied whites
• Low acidity
• High alcohol
• Flavours of blossom and apricots/stone fruits
• Usually develop its signature aromas/flavours until very late in the season, when they reached a very high level of sugar ripeness
• Need to be carefully handled in the winery so that they do not develop an overtly oily character that can overwhelm the varietal aromas
• New oak is being increasingly used, but must be handled carefully as new oak favlors can easily overwhelm the primary aromas
• Viognier can be made in an off-dry style from late-harvested grapes

Question 7

Discuss Marsanne and Rousanne in the Northern Rhone

Answer 7

• They are usually blended together
• Marsanne: Richness and weight
• Roussanne: Acidity and perfumed fruit
• They are not as aromatically intense as Viognier wines, but can age well and develop complex hazelnut aromas

Question 8

What are the two Northern Rhone crus which cover a significant area?

Answer 8

• Saint-Joseph
• Crozes-Hermitage

Question 9

Discuss Cote Rotie in Northern Rhone

Answer 9

• It is the most northerly appellation of the Northern Rhone
• Located around the town of Ampuis
• Wine style: Reds only, made of Syrah and Viognier
  
  • Vioginer - used in small amounts and blended with Syrah
  • Viorgnier can be ip to 20%, but usually very small quantities
• Wine
  
  • Deeply coloured
  • Full-bodied
  • Spicy, aromatic, floral freshness and textural elegance, distinct from Hermitage

Question 10

Discuss Condrieu

Answer 10

• White wine only, made from Viognier only
• Come from low-yielding, old vines, located on steep, well-exposed terraced vineyards

Question 11

Where is Chateau Grillet? Describe it and its wines

Answer 11

• It’s a single property appellation within Condrieu
• Wines very similar to those of Condrieu

Question 12

Discuss Saint-Joseph

Answer 12

• Located along the western bank of the Rhone, between Condrieu and Tournon
• Majority of wines are Reds made from Syrah
• Other style: Whites made from Marsanne/Roussanne
• Best sites are found on
  
  • Terraced vineyards near Tournon
  • Just south of Condrieu
• Saint-Joseph High-volume wines:
  
  • Come from the more fertile, flatter sites of the valley floor or the plateaux above the valley
  • Lighter-bodied, often incorporating carbonic maceration, pepper from Syrah
  • Some of the lightest-bodied wines of the Northern Rhone

Question 13

Discuss Hermitage

Answer 13

• Located on a steep, south-facing slope behind Tain-l’Hermitage
• Devided in a number of lieux-dit (name vineyard site)
• Lieux-dit all vary in steepness and aspect, giving wines of subtly different body and style
• They have traditionally been blends, but some now use single lieux-dits
• Red wine:
  
  • Fullest bodied of the Northern Rhone wines
  • Up to 15% of Marsanne and Roussanne can be fermented with Syrah althought rarely done
• White wines - made of Marsanne and Roussanne (About a fifth of Hermitage’s production)

Question 14

Discuss Crozes-Hermitage

Answer 14

• Most important appellation of Norther Rhone in terms of production volume
• Quality, style and price of Crozes-Hermitage wines vary wildly depending on location
• Vineyards are located on mixed terrain around the hill of Hermitage
  
  • South: On a flat plain - higher-yielding site - lighter wines
  • North: Vineyards are on slopes - More concentrated, complex and tannic wines
• Mostly red but some white
• Red wines: Syrah and Up to 15% Marsanne/Roussanne
• Some of the more expensive wines may be aged in oak

Question 15

Discuss Cornas

Answer 15

• Most southerly of the Northern Rhone appellations
• Produces Red only, Syrah only
• Warmest region of the Northern Rhone appellations
• Vineyards:
  
  • Located on the south facing slopes of the Rhone’s lateral valleys
  • Sheltered from wind, well-exposed, sun-baked and south-facing
• Wines:
  
  • Deeply coloured
  • Full-bodied
  • Similar style/quality to Hermitage